In computer networking , Cisco ASA 5500 Series Adaptive Security Appliances , or simply Cisco ASA , is Cisco 's line of network security devices introduced in May 2005. It succeeded three existing lines of Cisco products:
13-534: The Cisco ASA is a unified threat management device which combines several network security functions. Cisco ASA has become one of the most widely used firewall/VPN solutions for small to medium-sized businesses . Early reviews indicated the Cisco GUI tools for managing the device were lacking. A security flaw was identified when users customized the Clientless SSL VPN option of their ASA's but
26-506: A factor of 10, from SSP-10 SSP-20, SSP-40 and SSP-60. The ASA 5585-X has a slot for an I/O module. This slot can be subdivided into two half width modules. On the low end models, some features are limited, and uncrippling happens with installation of a Security Plus License. This enables more VLANs , or VPN peers, and also high availability. Cisco AnyConnect is an extra licensable feature which operates IPSec or SSL tunnels to clients on PCs, iPhones or iPads. The 5505 introduced in 2010
39-477: A larger organization, these roles are split into multiple roles or functions across various divisions and are not actioned by the one individual. In other organizations, some of these roles mentioned are carried out by system administrators . As with many technical roles, network administrator positions require a breadth of technical knowledge and the ability to learn the intricacies of new networking and server software packages quickly. Within smaller organizations,
52-605: A single management and reporting point for the security administrator rather than managing multiple products from different vendors. UTM appliances have been gaining popularity since 2009, partly because the all-in-one approach simplifies installation, configuration and maintenance. Such a setup saves time, money and people when compared to the management of multiple security systems. Instead of having several single-function appliances, all needing individual familiarity, attention and support, network administrators can centrally administer their security defenses from one computer. Some of
65-622: Is supported or not. The ASA software has a similar interface to the Cisco IOS software on routers. There is a command line interface (CLI) that can be used to query operate or configure the device. In config mode the configuration statements are entered. The configuration is initially in memory as a running-config but would normally be saved to flash memory. The 5512-X, 5515-X, 5525-X, 5545-X and 5555-X can have an extra interface card added. The 5585-X has options for SSP. SSP stands for security services processor. These range in processing power by
78-851: The IT infrastructure. Additionally, the approach of a UTM may go against one of the basic information assurance / security approaches of defense in depth , as a UTM would replace multiple security products, and compromise at the UTM layer will break the entire defense-in-depth approach. Network administrator A network administrator is a person designated in an organization whose responsibility includes maintaining computer infrastructures with emphasis on local area networks (LANs) up to wide area networks (WANs). Responsibilities may vary between organizations, but installing new hardware , on-site servers, enforcing licensing agreements, software-network interactions as well as network integrity and resilience are some of
91-525: The Linux facilities. In the boot sequence a boot loader called ROMMON (ROM monitor) starts, loads a Linux kernel, which then loads the lina_monitor, which then loads lina. The ROMMON also has a command line that can be used to load or select other software images and configurations. The names of firmware files includes a version indicator, -smp means it is for a symmetrical multiprocessor (and 64 bit architecture), and different parts also indicate if 3DES or AES
104-529: The features needed, such as anti-virus, or sandboxing, and so introduced a new line of next-generation firewalls called Firepower . These run in 64-bit mode. Unified threat management Unified threat management ( UTM ) is an approach to information security where a single hardware or software installation provides multiple security functions. This contrasts with the traditional method of having point solutions for each security function. UTM simplifies information-security management by providing
117-572: The key areas of focus. The role of the network administrator can vary significantly depending on an organization's size, location, and socioeconomic considerations. Some organizations work on a user-to-technical support ratio, Network administrators are often involved in proactive work. This type of work will often include: Network administrators are responsible for making sure that computer hardware and network infrastructure related to an organization's data network are effectively maintained. In smaller organizations, they are typically involved in
130-522: The procurement of new hardware, the rollout of new software, maintaining disk images for new computer installs, making sure that licenses are paid for and up to date for software that needs it, maintaining the standards for server installations and applications, monitoring the performance of the network, checking for security breaches, and poor data management practices. A common question for the small-medium business (SMB) network administrator is, how much bandwidth do I need to run my business? Typically, within
143-484: The prominent UTM brands are Cisco , Fortinet , Sophos , Netgear , Huawei , Wi-Jungle, SonicWall and Check Point . UTMs are now typically called next-generation firewalls . UTMs at the minimum should have some converged security features like: Some of the other features commonly found in UTMs are: Although an UTM offers ease of management from a single device, it also introduces a single point of failure within
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#1732787921341156-415: Was a desktop unit designed for small enterprises or branch offices. It included features to reduce the need for other equipment, such as an inbuilt switch , and power over Ethernet ports. The 5585-X is a higher powered unit for datacenters introduced in 2010. It runs in 32-bit mode on an Intel architecture Atom chip . Cisco determined that most of the low end devices had too little capacity to include
169-544: Was rectified in 2015. Another flaw in a WebVPN feature was fixed in 2018. In 2017 The Shadow Brokers revealed the existence of two privilege escalation exploits against the ASA called EPICBANANA and EXTRABACON. A code insertion implant called BANANAGLEE, was made persistent by JETPLOW. The 5506W-X has a WiFi point included. The ASA software is based on Linux. It runs a single Executable and Linkable Format program called lina. This schedules processes internally rather than using
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