🛡️ Network Hardening & Threat Simulation Lab

Simulated an enterprise-style network security lab focusing on subnet segmentation, routing, and threat detection. Implemented VLAN isolation, OSPF routing, and simulated ARP spoofing attacks to analyze network vulnerabilities and defensive controls.

---

Environment: Virtualized lab using isolated internal networks to safely simulate enterprise attack and defense scenarios.

🔧 Tools & Technologies Used

• Operating Systems: Ubuntu, Kali Linux
• Networking Protocols: ARP, OSPF, VLANs
• Security & Analysis Tools: Ettercap, TCPDump, Wireshark

---

🧩 How to Reproduce (Lab Setup)

This setup mirrors a simplified enterprise network and can be reproduced in a controlled local environment to safely evaluate attack paths and defensive controls:

1. Set up two virtual machines using VirtualBox or VMware:

   • Attacker VM: Kali Linux
   • Victim VM: Ubuntu

2. Configure network topology:

   • Create multiple subnets and VLANs
   • Enable inter-VLAN routing using OSPF

3. Verify baseline traffic:

   • Capture normal traffic using TCPDump and Wireshark

4. Simulate ARP spoofing:

   • Launch ARP poisoning attacks using Ettercap
   • Observe MITM behavior and packet interception

5. Apply hardening techniques:

   • Enforce subnet segmentation
   • Validate reduced attack surface using packet inspection

---

🧪 Lab Overview

This lab demonstrates hands-on experience with:

• Network subnetting and segmentation to reduce attack surfaces
• VLAN configuration to isolate sensitive network traffic
• Dynamic routing using OSPF
• Packet capture and traffic inspection for security analysis

---

⚔️ Threat Simulation & Analysis

Simulated real-world network attack scenarios including:

• ARP Spoofing (MITM attacks) using Ettercap
• Packet-level traffic analysis with TCPDump and Wireshark
• Network hardening techniques, including segmentation and attack detection validation

---

🛡️ Security Controls & Mitigations

• Implemented subnet segmentation to limit lateral movement
• Validated VLAN isolation to protect sensitive traffic
• Analyzed routing behavior to prevent unauthorized access paths
• Used traffic inspection to confirm effectiveness of defensive controls

---

🎯 Key Outcomes

• Strengthened understanding of enterprise network security architecture
• Gained hands-on experience with attack simulation and traffic analysis
• Validated security controls through practical threat scenarios
• Demonstrated reduction of attack surface through effective segmentation and routing controls

---

Result: Successfully validated enterprise-style network hardening techniques against simulated real-world attacks.