Network Security Audit Checklist
This network security audit checklist is designed to proactively assess the security and integrity of organizational networks. IT administrators and network security teams can use this digital checklist to identify potential threats by verifying critical components such as firewalls, computers, network devices, user accounts, malware defenses, and various network security protocols.
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How to Use This Checklist
- **Verify firewall protection.** Confirm the organization has a firewall or equivalent device protecting its internal network and devices from unauthorized access.
- **Check default credentials.** Make sure the firewall device's password has been changed from the default to a secure one.
- **Apply the password criteria.** Use the checklist's guidance for a secure password: at least 8 characters long, different from the username, free of identical characters in sequence, not a dictionary word, containing uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters, not reused for a predetermined period, and not used for another account.
- **Review and document rule sets.** Confirm each rule set on the firewall has been approved by an authorized individual and documented, including an explanation of the business need for that rule.
- **Block vulnerable services.** Confirm unapproved or vulnerable services are blocked at the gateway firewall.
- **Disable stale permissive rules.** Disable any permissive firewall rules that are no longer necessary as soon as possible.
- **Restrict firewall administration.** Confirm firewall administration settings are not accessible from the internet.
- **Look at computers and network devices.** Remove or disable all unnecessary software and utilities, and disable all auto-run features, including for removable storage and network folders.
- **Confirm host firewalls.** Use an operating system with an integrated firewall on desktops and laptops and configure it to default to blocking unauthorized connections. Most recent operating systems have this feature enabled and configured.
- **Review user accounts and privileges.** Confirm that all user accounts and their privileges go through an approval process and are documented, and that administrator privileges and any other special access privileges are reserved for authorized persons and documented.
- **Separate administrative use.** Confirm administrator accounts are used only for administrative tasks and not for everyday access, and that each individual user has a unique username and user account.
- **Apply the account password criteria.** For each account, confirm the password has been modified from the default, is at least 8 characters long, is not the same as the username, does not contain identical characters in sequence, is not a dictionary word, includes uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters, has not been reused for a predetermined period, and has never been used for another account.
- **Retire accounts that are no longer justified.** Remove or disable any account with special privileges or administrative rights when it is no longer needed, when the person changes roles or leaves the organization, or after a predefined period of inactivity (for example, disable an account that has not been used for 90 days).
- **Check malware protection.** Confirm antivirus software is installed on all computers that have access to or can access the internet, that malware protection software is updated daily, and that it is configured to automatically scan files when accessed and analyze web pages when visited via a web browser, to conduct routine scans of all files, and to prevent connections to malicious websites (for example, by using a blacklist of sites).
- **Review patch management.** Confirm all software on any devices connected to or that can connect to the internet is licensed and supported so that vulnerability assessments and patches are provided, that all available software updates and security patches are installed in a timely manner, and that any unsupported software is removed from any computer or device capable of connecting to the internet.
- **Harden wireless and network features.** Disable WPS (Wireless Protected Setup) on all wireless devices and disable Universal Plug and Play (UPnP).
- **Cover mobile and personal devices.** Confirm employee-owned devices that can access email or company information have antivirus software installed, and that encryption is applied to all sensitive data stored on mobile devices and removable storage devices.
- **Review personal services and social media.** Staff should not use personal file-sharing or cloud storage services for company data, such as DropBox, OneDrive, Google Drive or iCloud, unless authorized and secured by your organization, and staff must not be permitted to use personal social media accounts on organization-owned devices or any device connected to the network without express authorization.
- **Record the audit.** Capture when the audit was conducted, who prepared it, and the location, then sign off and record when it was finished. The checklist provides Yes, In Progress, No and Not Applicable answer options for each item.
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Firewalls
The audit starts with the perimeter: the organization must have a firewall or equivalent device protecting its internal network and devices from unauthorized access, and the firewall device's password must be changed from the default to a secure password. Every rule set on the firewall must be approved by an authorized individual and documented, including an explanation of the business need for that rule. Unapproved or vulnerable services must be blocked at the gateway firewall, and any permissive rules that are no longer necessary should be disabled as soon as possible. Firewall administration settings must not be accessible from the internet.
Computers and network devices
The audit looks at the devices themselves as well as the network. All unnecessary software and utilities must be removed or disabled, and all auto-run features must be disabled, including those for removable storage and network folders. An operating system with an integrated firewall must be used on desktops and laptops and configured to default to blocking unauthorized connections; most recent operating systems have this feature enabled and configured. On the wireless side, WPS (Wireless Protected Setup) must be disabled on all wireless devices, and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) must be disabled.
User accounts
All unnecessary user, guest, or administrator accounts must be removed or disabled. Each individual user must have a unique username and user account, and all user accounts and their privileges must be subjected to an approval process and documented. Administrator privileges and any other special access privileges must be reserved for authorized persons and documented, and administrator accounts should only be used for administrative tasks and not for everyday access. Any account with special privileges or administrative rights must be removed or disabled when it is no longer needed, if the person changes roles or leaves the organization, or after a predefined period of inactivity (for example, if the account is not used for 90 days, it should be disabled).
Malware protection
Antivirus software must be installed on all computers that have access to or can access the internet. Malware protection software must be updated daily and configured to automatically scan files when accessed and analyze web pages when visited via a web browser, to conduct routine scans of all files, and to prevent connections to malicious websites (for example, by using a blacklist of sites). Employee-owned devices that can access email or company information must also have antivirus software installed.
Software patch management
All software on any devices connected to or that can connect to the internet must be licensed and supported to ensure vulnerability assessments and patches are provided. All available software updates and security patches must be installed in a timely manner, and any unsupported software must be removed from any computer or device capable of connecting to the Internet.
Miscellaneous
The final items cover data and staff behaviour. Encryption must be applied to all sensitive data stored on mobile devices and removable storage devices. Staff should not use personal file-sharing or cloud storage services for company data, such as DropBox, OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud, unless authorized and secured by your organization, and staff must not be permitted to use personal social media accounts on organization-owned devices or any device connected to the network without express authorization.
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