Security & Risks

Chapter 6 — Core Switch Security Hardening Design Guide

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Understanding the threat landscape for core switches is a prerequisite for effective hardening. Core switches are high-value targets because they sit at the center of the network and have visibility into all traffic flows. A successful attack on a core switch can result in complete network disruption, data exfiltration, lateral movement to any connected segment, or persistent access through configuration backdoors. The threat model must account for both external attackers who have gained a foothold in the network and insider threats with legitimate access.

This chapter presents the primary threat categories, specific attack vectors, risk ratings, and the hardening controls that mitigate each risk. The risk ratings are based on a combination of likelihood and impact, using a standard 5×5 risk matrix. Controls are mapped to the eight hardening domains defined in Chapter 2, providing a clear link between threats and the specific actions required to address them.

6.1 Threat Categories and Attack Vectors

6.2 Management Plane Threat Analysis

The management plane is the highest-value target for attackers because control of the management plane means control of the entire device. Management plane attacks can be divided into two categories: authentication attacks that attempt to gain unauthorized access, and post-authentication attacks that abuse legitimate access to make unauthorized changes. Both categories require distinct countermeasures.

6.3 Control Plane Threat Analysis

Control plane attacks target the routing and switching protocols that determine how traffic is forwarded through the network. These attacks can range from simple flooding attacks that exhaust CPU resources to sophisticated route injection attacks that redirect traffic through attacker-controlled paths. Control Plane Policing (CoPP) is the primary defense mechanism, but routing protocol authentication and prefix filtering are equally important for preventing protocol-level attacks.

6.4 Risk Mitigation Priority Matrix

The risk mitigation priority matrix maps each identified risk to the hardening domain responsible for its mitigation, the implementation effort required, and the residual risk after controls are applied. This matrix is intended to guide the prioritization of hardening activities when resources are constrained.