End Device or Intermediary Device?

About this interactive

A node is any device that sends, receives or passes along network traffic. Nodes split into two kinds. End devices are the sources and destinations of traffic: workstations, laptops, servers, phones, tablets, printers and IoT devices such as sensors and industrial controllers. They are where data begins and where it ends up, and they are what the business is mostly trying to protect. Intermediary devices are the switches, routers, access points and firewalls that carry traffic between the end devices. They are not the source or destination; they forward. From a hardening point of view the module treats both as endpoints, because a managed switch, router or firewall can be attacked and configured just as an end device can. An unmanaged switch you cannot log in to is the usual exception. To sort a card, ask whether the device originates or receives the traffic, or only moves it along.

What you'll learn

Classify a device as an end device, a source or destination of traffic, or an intermediary device that forwards traffic between other devices
Recognize that manageable intermediary devices such as switches, routers and firewalls are hardened too, not only end devices

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+

4.1 Given a scenario, apply common security techniques to computing resources.

Key terms

Endpoint: Any device that connects to a network, including computers, smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices.
End Device: A network node that acts as the source or destination of data, such as a workstation, server, or mobile device.
Intermediary Device: A network node, such as a switch or router, that interconnects end devices and facilitates communication between them rather than serving as a source or destination of traffic.
Device Hardening: The process of securing a device by updating firmware, disabling unused services and ports, and applying security configurations to reduce its attack surface.
Attack Surface: The total set of points in a system where an unauthorized user can attempt to enter or extract data.

Topics

Interactive Streak Sort

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