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TASK 1

HARDEEP SINGH

12 MAY 2025

THOMAS TELFORD UTC

 

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Contents

INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 2

CURRENT ISSUES WITHIN THE COMPANY NETWORK ....................................... 3

WEAK CREDENTIALS: .......................................................................................... 3

ADMINSTAROR PRIVALAGES:............................................................................. 3

STAFF INDUCTION ISSUES:................................................................................. 4

FIREWALL CONFIGURATIONS:............................................................................ 4

TEST PLAN ............................................................................................................... 6

HARDWARE TESTING: ....................................................................................... 15

CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 17

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INTRODUCTION

Longstaff Marketing Solutions is a small sized enterprise offering digital marketing 

services to other business. The company has grown over the past 12 months from a 

small business from there family home to a city centre office with 25 staff members. 

They currently have several staff members that currently operates from home due to 

the small nature of the business, staff require access to shared files stored on a 

network attached storage (NAS) device in the local area network (LAN). 

It is particularly concerned about security and would like to implement solutions to 

protect against malware attacks and data loss. It is my responsibility to provide

sophisticated recommendations to make sure that the network is secure and to find 

solutions to some specific issues that have been brought to my attention in the office.

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CURRENT ISSUES WITHIN THE COMPANY NETWORK

WEAK CREDENTIALS:

One of the major concerns is the continued use of default credentials on critical 

infrastructure components, including the SOHO router and NAS device. These 

default admin usernames and passwords (e.g., “admin/admin” and 

“LMSAdmin/Pa$$word”) are publicly known and widely documented, making them 

easy targets for brute-force attacks or password-cracking software. This software is 

used by hackers to gain access to data, it involves exploiting people who have easy 

or repetitive passwords which can be guessed quite easily. There are 2 types of 

techniques that the software tends to use, dictionary which will use a list of 

predefined passwords to gain access, or brute force attacks which is when you try 

different combinations of letters, digits, and characters to gain access to the data. 

Simple passwords can be cracked very easily and that’s why users should ensure to 

set strong passwords which consist of a variety of letters, digits, and characters. 

Failure to enforce strong passwords policies reflects poorly on the company 

commitment to cybersecurity practices and could possibly result in regulatory noncompliance, especially under widely known data protection frameworks such as the 

UK GDPR.

ADMINSTAROR PRIVALAGES:

Equally concerning is the fact that all users in the organization currently operate with 

local administrator privileges on their devices. This lack of privilege separation 

permits staff to install any software- authorized or not- onto their systems. Such a 

setup has already resulted in unauthorized applications, including video games and

other software concerning overall security, being installed and stored on company 

devices and the NAS. This not only degrades system performance but also 

introduces a high risk of malware infections and software conflicts (e.g., Worms and 

Viruses). A virus is a program that is installed into the user’s computer, this then 

replicates itself and spreads throughout the computer and to other users’ computers 

as well. They do this by simply affecting files and when the user sends this to other 

users, they will download the file which then can affect their system as well as the 

virus is carried over to their system. Additionally, a worm is a type of malware uses 

the network to spread itself. Unlike a virus this doesn't to be attached to an existing 

program, there harm is very minimal as they only affect the user’s bandwidth by 

consuming it. Furthermore, it places the company in legal jeopardy, particularly if the 

content installed is unlicensed or copyrighted material, the absence of the application 

control can mechanisms also increase the chances of data leakage or insider 

threats. By limiting the credentials to a specific user in the organization who has the 

responsibility to meet all regulations and legal frameworks it will reinsure the 

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company from any unauthorised installations of software. Shared credentials are 

especially dangerous in a growing company where staff turnover is rising, as it

becomes harder to ensure former employees no longer have access. 

STAFF INDUCTION ISSUES:

Staff training is crucial to keep staff members informed of new threats and 

vulnerabilities on a regular basis as it is proven that human error is approximately 

90% of the cause to successful data breaches. Consequences of data breaches can 

be crucial in different aspects of the business, it can affect the company financially, 

legally, and socially. Longstaff Marketing Solutions tend to provide short videos that 

are provided by the company on induction, which provides them with a broad 

understanding on organization, network, software and security systems. Thereafter, 

they are provided with a copy of relevant policies on email and are asked to 

thoroughly read through and complete an online form to confirm the policies have 

been read and understood. Sometimes, some of the staff may have a large amount 

of workload and may not have enough time to carefully read through such policy, 

therefore they may tend to just complete the form without understanding the policy 

which can later lead staff unconsciously leaving vulnerabilities in the security system. 

Therefore, I would recommend to reinforce their policy and make sure that all staff 

has thoroughly read through the policy by perhaps printing physical copies and 

arranging meetings with induvial explaining them the policies. Furthermore, they 

should arrange regular meetings for staff to deliver new threats and security 

vulnerabilities to raise awareness to minimise the risk of cyber threats.

FIREWALL CONFIGURATIONS:

Longstaff Marketing Solutions is currently facing a range of cybersecurity and 

network configuration issues that threaten both operational efficiency and information 

security. One of the most critical problems lies in the misconfiguration of the 

company's firewall rules. Specifically, the firewall currently denies internal SMB 

(Server Message Block) traffic for IP ranges outside of a narrow scope 

(192.168.1.251–253), which unintentionally blocks access for most office-based 

users trying to reach the NAS device. This issue has already resulted in users, such 

as the sales executive who holds an important role in the organization, being unable 

to access essential shared resources while working from the office. The 

misconfiguration not only disrupts workflows and collaboration but also leaves the 

network open to external threats due to the overly unregulated "allow by default" 

firewall policy. If exploited, such weaknesses could lead to data breaches or 

unauthorized access to critical systems. Firewalls and other networks settings can 

be a potential security vulnerability if they are not configured correctly. This usually 

occurs when there are open ports which are allowing unauthorized external 

connections to the network. This can be vulnerable to the network as hackers can 

intercept data throughout the network which can disrupt the way the users access 

data. I would make sure that all firewall settings are changed to meet staff and 

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company efficiency requirements and test out any other issues that may be involved 

around it. 

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TEST PLAN

In order to find the root cause behind each induvial problem I have attached tests that should be carried out in order to find the 

issues involved with the problems. This will help us find a solution much quicker and effectively. It is important for the company to 

implement any health and safety measures accordingly to each test. For example, they should make sure that they have the right 

people with the right skills to be completing each task to make it more efficient and precise. Moreover, they should hire 

professionals for some tests such as pen testing as it will require a more in-depth knowledge in order to tackle the testing.

USER DATE/TIME HARDWARE

/

SOFTWARE

OPERATING 

SYSTEM

PROPOSED TEST PURPUSE OF

TEST

EXPECTED 

OUTCOME

ACTUAL 

OUTCOME

SOLUTION/ 

CHANGES 

MADE

1 12/05/2025 User Laptops Not stated CPU test:

Open Task Manager 

(Ctrl+Shift+Esc), go to 

“performance” tab, and 

click on “CPU” to view 

details including the 

CPU mode, core 

count, and clock 

speed.

The company has 

provided the users 

with laptops;

therefore, we should

also check the 

laptops performance

in case they affect 

staff productivity.

If the computer runs 

on high CPU usage, 

the chart will be 

primarily red.

TBD

RAM test:

Search for “Windows 

memory diagnostics in 

the window search bar 

and select the 

application. Then 

choose “Restart now 

and check for 

problems” or “check for 

problems the next time 

The company has 

provided the users 

with laptops;

therefore, we should

also check the 

laptops performance

in case they affect 

staff productivity.

There should be no 

errors when 

checking the Event 

Viewer.

TBD

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I start my computer”. 

The computer will 

restart and run the 

memory test 

automatically. After the 

test is complete, check 

the Event Viewer for 

results. 

2 13/05/2025 VPN server Windows 

Server 2019

Load testing:

Set up an environment 

that is similar to 

companies’ 

environment. Develop 

scripts and actions the 

user would be 

simulating. Run the 

test against 

application.

To determine how 

the system performs 

under peak load 

conditions.

We will be able to 

determine if the 

system performance 

under extreme load 

testing.

TBD

Stress testing:

You will require to plan 

the test and correctly 

identifying the 

resources required and 

monitor system while 

gradually increasing 

the load on the 

application.

To determine how 

reliable the system 

is under extreme 

workload.

It will allow identify 

system 

vulnerabilities, and 

potential failure 

points under 

extreme conditions.

TBD

Ping scan:

To run a ping scan, 

you require to open the 

command prompt on 

windows, type “ping” 

It will help identify 

any active devices 

on a network.

The ping scan will 

reveal all different 

hostname of each 

device connected to 

the network.

TBD

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followed by a space 

and the IP address to 

test, and simply press 

enter.

3 14/05/2025 SOHO router N/A DHCP Server Logs:

analyse the server logs 

to identify devices with 

duplicate IP address.

(Expert 

recommended)

To determine users 

with the same IP 

address.

This will outline 

users with same IP 

address and help to 

act upon it.

TBD

Reconfiguring IP 

addresses:

Modify the IP settings 

of the conflicting 

devices to use different 

IP addresses.

(Expert recommended)

Makes sure that 

everyone has a 

unique IP address 

to reduce IP 

address conflict.

This will reset 

everyone’s IP 

address and makes 

sure that everyone 

has a unique IP 

address

TBD

Ping scan:

To run a ping scan, 

you require to open the 

command prompt on 

windows, type “ping” 

followed by a space 

and the IP address to 

test, and simply press 

enter.

It will help identify 

any active devices 

on a network.

The ping scan will 

reveal all different 

hostname of each 

device connected to 

the network.

TBD

Traceroute:

Open command 

prompt and type

“tracert 

<destination_IP_or_

Determines the 

route packets take 

from a source to a 

destination.

The results show 

each hop in the 

path, including IP 

addresses and 

latency. Missing 

TBD

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Hostname> hops or timeouts 

indicate network 

issues along the 

path.

Enable Conflict 

Detection:

Set the “conflict 

detection attempts” 

property to a value 

greater than 0.

Enables IPv4 

address conflict 

detection which 

eliminates the 

conflicts by the 

DHCP server.

Next time, there is 

an issue the DHCP 

server will ping the 

address before 

assigning it to a 

client.

TBD

4 15/05/2025 Network

attached 

storage 

(NAS)

Linux-Based NAS test:

Install “fio” software 

which allows us to

carry out the test, 

thereafter configure 

‘fio’ to write to a file on 

the NAS using the 

SBM protocol,

specifying the direct 

flag. Execute and 

monitor the results.

Ensure that the NAS 

device meets the 

specific needs and 

is performing 

optimally.

Check the IOPS, 

latency, throughput, 

and CPU usage and 

make sure that all 

are performing well.

TBD

Ping NAS test:

To run a ping scan, 

you require to open the 

command prompt on 

windows, type “ping” 

followed by a space 

and the IP address to 

test, and simply press 

enter.

Determines the 

route packets take 

from a source to a 

destination.

The ping scan will 

reveal all different 

hostname of each 

device connected to 

the network.

TBD

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5 16/05/2025 Firewall N/A Port Scanning:

In order to carry out a 

port scanning test it 

will require the user to 

use online tools like 

DNS checker to check 

for any open ports on a 

system.

This helps identify

any open ports on a 

network or server, 

which can introduce 

any vulnerabilities to 

the system.

It will provide a 

detailed overview of 

what data is 

currently entering 

the system and if 

there are any open 

ports.

TBD

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Firewall port 139/445

Step 1) Press windows and search up PowerShell in the windows search bar:

Step 2) Once PowerShell is open, copy the following line codes by readjusting the IP 

address and Port Number 139/445: When the code is executed at the bottom there 

should be a line of code as follows “TcpTestSucceeded: True” it will either say ‘True’ 

or ‘False’. If it says TRUE, it means that the port is open and not blocked by the 

firewall. 

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Accessing NAS via File Path:

Step 1) Open file explorer:

Step 2) Once you in File explorer, in the bottom left click ‘This PC’, the following 

should be presented:

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Step 3) By clicking the 3 dots in top navigation bar you should be able to access the 

map network drive.

Step 4) You will need to choose the letter drive and enter the NAS path and Login 

details. This will allow you to access to all shared folders and make sure that they 

are visible to users.

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(Side note: the image above is on a Windows 10 computer, there may be slight 

changes on the new operating system)

Access Router Admin Page:

Step 1) Identify the IP address of the router, majority of the times it should be written

on the router itself. However, we can go to settings and go on the network to identify 

the IP address for the router. 

Step 2) Search up “https:// ‘the IP address’” for example (https://129.168.1.1)

thereafter enter admin passwords and user name to access the settings. If that is 

your first time accessing the admin page. Then credentials should be stated on the 

router itself, it is recommended to change the credentials as soon as you login in to 

the admin page. 

Step 3) Following the steps, we should be able to see the router accounts

credentials and make sure that they are strong:

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HARDWARE TESTING:

RAM test:

Step 1) search for “Windows Memory Diagnostics” in the window search bar and 

select the application.

Step 2) You can choose to “restart now and check for problems or “check for 

problems the next time I start my computer”.

Step 3) If you choose to restart now, the computer will restart and run the memory 

test automatically.

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Step 4) after the test is complete, check the Event Viewer for results. If error is

found, you may need to replace your faulty RAM module.

CPU Test:

Step 1) there are many ways to check the limitation of CPU. They can vary from 

stress testing, load testing, and many others. By carrying out a stress test we can

identify the limits of CPU, by putting the computer under allot of instructions until it 

can not handle it. 

Step 2) Using online tools such as (https://mprep.info/gpu/) it can determine how 

good or bad the CPU stress levels are. 

Step 3) The results will outline the final records for the CPU which will state its limits 

and weather it can withstand a high volume of instructions or not. 

GPU Test:

Step 1) Common ways to test out a GPU is by running high level videogames or 

videos with a high graphics. 

Step 2) tools to determine different factors such as ping, latency, and framerates can 

be found as software or online. 

Step 3) If the GPU is able to withstand high volume of graphics, it results in being 

able to carry out a high volume of instructions

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CONCLUSION

This cyber security fault-finding investigation has highlighted critical vulnerabilities 

and associated threats within the organization's network. By adding all the 

recommended security measures and testing that were discussed, the company can 

strengthen its defence and minimize any external threats and cyber-attacks. Regular 

security assessments, user training, and regular monitoring are crucial to maintaining 

a secure IT environment within the company and ensuring all users with online 

safety.