🔎 Network Analysis Lab
Hands-on network traffic analysis and security assessment
Intermediate LevelLab Overview
This comprehensive lab focuses on network traffic analysis and security assessment techniques. You'll learn to capture, analyze, and interpret network traffic to identify potential security issues and understand network behavior patterns.
🔍 Enterprise Network Security
While this lab provides foundational knowledge, enterprise network security requires comprehensive expertise. For organizations in Portugal seeking professional network security assessments, Pentesting.pt offers advanced network penetration testing and infrastructure security services.
Learning Objectives
- Master Wireshark for network packet analysis
- Identify common network protocols and their security implications
- Analyze suspicious network traffic patterns
- Extract sensitive information from network captures
- Understand basic network reconnaissance techniques
- Document findings in a professional manner
🎯 Lab Details
Exercise Information
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate
- Prerequisites: Basic networking knowledge
- Tools Required: Wireshark, text editor
- Environment: Provided packet captures
- Skills Tested: Packet analysis, protocol understanding
Security Requirements
- 🔒 VPN Protection: Use NordVPN for secure analysis
- 🌐 Features: Split tunneling for selective traffic capture
- 🛡️ Security: Encrypted tunnel for sensitive packet analysis
- ⚡ Speed: High-bandwidth servers for real-time capture
Deployment Options
Choose your preferred environment setup:
- 🚀 Cloud Setup: Deploy on DigitalOcean for traffic generation
- 💻 Resources: Basic Droplet (2GB RAM) sufficient
- 🌐 Network: Private networking for traffic capture
- 📊 Analysis: Remote packet capture capabilities
🛠️ Required Tools
Wireshark
Primary packet analysis tool for this lab.
- Network packet capture analysis
- Protocol filtering and dissection
- Follow TCP streams
- Extract files from captures
NetworkMiner
Alternative packet analysis tool with GUI focus.
- Automatic file extraction
- Host enumeration
- Protocol statistics
- User-friendly interface
Additional Tools
Supporting tools for comprehensive analysis.
- tshark: Command-line packet analysis
- tcpdump: Packet capture utility
- text editor: For documentation
- hex editor: Binary file analysis
📋 Lab Scenarios
Scenario 1: Basic Traffic Analysis
Objective: Analyze normal network traffic and identify communication patterns.
Tasks
- Open the provided packet capture file
- Identify the top 5 protocols by packet count
- Find all unique IP addresses
- Analyze DNS queries and responses
- Document your findings
Key Questions
- What protocols are most common?
- Which hosts generate the most traffic?
- Are there any unusual DNS queries?
- What websites are being accessed?
Scenario 2: Suspicious Activity Detection
Objective: Identify potentially malicious network activity and security violations.
Tasks
- Look for port scanning activity
- Identify failed authentication attempts
- Find any unencrypted password transmissions
- Analyze unusual traffic patterns
- Extract any suspicious files
Red Flags to Watch For
- Multiple connection attempts to various ports
- Unusual protocols or ports
- Large data transfers
- Failed login patterns
Scenario 3: Data Extraction Challenge
Objective: Extract sensitive information and files from network traffic.
Tasks
- Extract all files transferred via HTTP
- Find any email communications
- Identify credential information
- Analyze file types and content
- Create an evidence inventory
Extraction Techniques
- Follow TCP streams for file reconstruction
- Use "Export Objects" feature
- Filter by specific protocols
- Extract credentials from clear-text protocols
🔍 Analysis Techniques
Basic Filtering
Essential Wireshark filters for packet analysis.
ip.addr == 192.168.1.1- Specific IPtcp.port == 80- HTTP trafficdns- DNS queries and responseshttp.request- HTTP requests only
Advanced Filtering
Complex filters for targeted analysis.
tcp.flags.syn == 1 and tcp.flags.ack == 0http.request.method == "POST"frame contains "password"tcp.analysis.flags- TCP issues
Protocol Analysis
Protocol-specific analysis techniques.
- HTTP: Follow TCP streams for full requests
- FTP: Separate control and data channels
- SMTP: Email content and attachments
- SMB: File sharing activity
📊 Expected Deliverables
Lab Report Requirements
Professional Tip: Understanding how to document findings is crucial. For examples of professional-grade network security assessments and reporting methodologies, check out Pentesting.pt's network security services.
Your lab report should include the following sections:
- 📋 Executive Summary: High-level findings overview
- 🔍 Methodology: Analysis approach and tools used
- 📈 Traffic Analysis: Protocol distribution and patterns
- ⚠️ Security Findings: Vulnerabilities and suspicious activity
- 📁 Extracted Evidence: Files and credentials found
- 💡 Recommendations: Security improvements
- 🖼️ Screenshots: Key findings with visual evidence
- 📎 Appendices: Technical details and filter commands
💡 Pro Tips
Expert Analysis Techniques
- 🎯 Start with Statistics: Use Protocol Hierarchy Statistics
- 📊 Conversations Analysis: Identify communication patterns
- 🔄 Follow Streams: Reconstruct full communications
- 🏷️ Use Coloring Rules: Visually identify packet types
- ⏰ Time-based Analysis: Look for patterns over time
- 🔍 String Searches: Search for keywords in packets
- 📝 Document Filters: Save useful filters for reuse
- 💾 Export Evidence: Save objects and streams
🎓 Knowledge Check
Self-Assessment Questions
Test your understanding after completing the lab:
- What is the difference between TCP and UDP, and how can you identify each in a packet capture?
- How would you identify a potential port scan in network traffic?
- What security risks are associated with unencrypted protocols like HTTP and FTP?
- How can you extract files that were transferred over HTTP using Wireshark?
- What are the indicators of a successful vs. failed authentication attempt?
- How would you identify DNS tunneling or other covert channels?
- What filters would you use to find all failed TCP connections?
- How can packet timing analysis reveal information about network topology?
🚀 Next Steps
Advanced Labs
Continue your learning journey with more complex scenarios.
- Malware traffic analysis
- Encrypted traffic analysis
- Network forensics challenges
- IDS/IPS evasion techniques
Skill Development
Areas to focus on for continued improvement.
- Advanced Wireshark features
- Network protocol deep dives
- Automation with tshark scripts
- Custom protocol dissectors
Certification Prep
How this lab prepares you for certifications.
- eJPT network analysis requirements
- GCIH incident response skills
- GCFA forensic analysis techniques
- Network+ protocol understanding
🎯 Lab Completion Checklist
Verify your progress: Ensure you've completed all components.
- ✅ Analyzed basic traffic patterns and protocols
- ✅ Identified suspicious network activity
- ✅ Extracted files and sensitive information
- ✅ Applied various Wireshark filters effectively
- ✅ Documented findings in a professional report
- ✅ Answered knowledge check questions
- ✅ Understood security implications of findings