2 cissp ® Official Study Guide Eighth Edition

Remote Node Operation 
Remote node operation is just another name for dial-up con-
nectivity. A remote system connects to a remote access server. That server provides the 
remote client with network services and possible internet access.
POTS and PSTN refer to traditional landline telephone connections. POTS/PSTN con-
nections were the only or primary remote network links for many businesses until high-
speed, cost-effective, and ubiquitous access methods were available. POTS/PSTN also 
waned in use for home-user internet connectivity once broadband and wireless services 
became more widely available. POTS/PSTN connections are sometimes still used as a 
backup option for remote connections when broadband solutions fail, as rural internet and 
remote connections, and as standard voice lines when ISDN, VoIP, or broadband solutions 
are unavailable or not cost effective.
When remote access capabilities are deployed in any environment, security must be 
considered and implemented to provide protection for your private network against remote 
access complications:
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Remote access users should be stringently authenticated before being granted access.
■
Only those users who specifically need remote access for their assigned work tasks 
should be granted permission to establish remote connections.

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Chapter 12 
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Secure Communications and Network Attacks
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All remote communications should be protected from interception and eavesdropping. 
This usually requires an encryption solution that provides strong protection for the 
authentication traffic as well as all data transmission.
It is important to establish secure communication channels before initiating the trans-
mission of sensitive, valuable, or personal information. Remote access can pose several 
potential security concerns if not protected and monitored sufficiently:
■
If anyone with a remote connection can attempt to breach the security of your organi-
zation, the benefits of physical security are reduced.
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Telecommuters might use insecure or less-secure remote systems to access sensitive 
data and thus expose it to greater risk of loss, compromise, or disclosure.
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Remote systems might be exposed to malicious code and could be used as a carrier to 
bring malware into the private LAN.
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Remote systems might be less physically secure and thus be at risk of being used by 
unauthorized entities or stolen.
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Remote systems might be more difficult to troubleshoot, especially if the issues revolve 
around remote connection.
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Remote systems might not be as easy to upgrade or patch due to their potential infre-
quent connections or slow throughput links. However, this issue is lessened when high-
speed reliable broadband links are present.