Chapter 2 of 8 · EC-Council 312-38

Network Perimeter Protection

Access control, IAM, cryptography, segmentation, firewalls, IDS, device hardening and zero trust.

  • 6topics
  • 31 minfast track
  • 2diagrams and exhibits
  • 10%of the exam
Start with Access Control and Identity and Access Management

Topics in this chapter

Take them in order, or jump to the one you need.

  1. 1Access Control and Identity and Access ManagementLearn access control principles and models (DAC, MAC, RBAC, ABAC), access for mobile and distributed users, and IAM parts such as…5 min
  2. 2Cryptography and Network Security ProtocolsReview symmetric, asymmetric and hashing techniques, algorithms and sizes (AES, RSA, SHA), and secure protocols like TLS, IPsec…5 min
  3. 3Segmentation, Security Solutions, Router and Switch Security and Zero TrustLearn how segmentation limits attacks, which security solutions guard a network, how to harden routers and switches, and how SDP…5 min
  4. 4Firewall Concepts, Types, Topologies and PlacementUnderstand what firewalls can and cannot do, the main firewall technologies, topologies like bastion host and screened subnet…Diagram5 min
  5. 5Firewall Selection, Deployment and AdministrationChoose a firewall by inspection depth, follow a deployment process, apply rule base best practices and handle daily…5 min
  6. 6IDS and IPS Concepts, Deployment and SolutionsLearn IDS and IPS roles, classes and components, where to place sensors, how to handle false alerts, how to choose a product, and…Diagram6 min

About this chapter

What this chapter covers

Network Perimeter Protection is 10% of the EC-Council CND 312-38 exam. It covers who may enter (access control and identity), how data is protected on the way (cryptography and secure protocols), how the network is divided (segmentation), and the devices that guard the edge: firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, routers and switches, and zero trust access.

Questions are single-answer multiple choice, often "Which of the following" or a short named scenario. You are asked to choose and place the right defense, and to read what a control can and cannot do.

It has twenty-five outline topics, grouped into six pages.

How the topics fit together

The chapter works from identity inward to the network devices.

Access control and IAMwho may enterCryptography and protocolsprotect data in transitSegmentation and solutionsdivide and guardFirewallsfilter trafficIDS and IPSwatch and blockZero trustverify every request
  • Access and identity decide who is allowed.
  • Cryptography and protocols keep data private on the wire.
  • Firewall pages cover filtering, placement and daily administration.
  • IDS page covers detection, tuning and product choice.
Exam tip

Ask two questions of every device in a scenario: does it only detect or can it also block, and does it sit inline or off to the side? That decides most firewall and IDS answers.

How to use these pages

Each topic page has the same shape, so you can skim for what you need.

  • What it is: the idea in plain words.
  • How it works: the mechanism, with tables and a worked example.
  • What to remember for the exam: the facts to memorize.
  • Common mistakes: the classic traps.
  • Check yourself: three questions to test your understanding.

Try to answer each short scenario before reading the answer. The exam often describes a need and asks for the device, model or protocol that fits.

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