Security and Synchronisation
Security is often the most worried about aspect of running a computer network. Keeping unwanted users out whilst allowing freedom for users to access network applications is a full time job. Yet many network administrators fail to pay any heed to one of the most crucial aspects of keeping a network secure – time synchronisation.
Time synchronisation is not just important but it is vital in network security and yet it is staggering how many network administrators disregard it or fail to have their systems properly synchronised.
Ensuring the same and correct time (ideally UTC – Coordinated Universal Time) is on each network machine is essential as any time delays can be an open door for hackers to slip in undetected and what is worse if machines do get hacked are not running the same time it can be near impossible to detect, repair and get the network back up and running.
Yet time synchronisation is one of the simplest of tasks to employ, particularly as most operating systems have a version of the time protocol NTP (Network Time Protocol).
Finding an accurate time server can sometimes be problematic particularly if the network is synchronised across the internet as this can raise other security issues such as having an open port in the firewall and a lack of possible authentication by NTP to ensure the signal is trusted.
However, an easier method for time synchronisation, being both accurate and secure, is to use a dedicated NTP time server (also known as network time server). An NTP server will take a time signal direct from GPS or from the national time and frequency radio transmissions put out by organisations such as NIST or NPL.
By using a dedicated NTP server the network will become a lot securer and if the worst does happen and the system does fall victim to malicious users then having a synchronised network will ensure it is easily solvable.
