Network hardening and penetration testing

Overview

This project demonstrates practical implementation of operating system and network security hardening, combined with controlled penetration testing techniques to understand how defensive controls and monitoring mechanisms respond to stealthy network activity.

The objective was to strengthen wireless and endpoint security through configuration hardening, enforce firewall protections across network profiles, and analyze how decoy-based scanning techniques appear in network traffic. The work emphasizes a defensive security perspective, focusing on prevention, visibility, and detection rather than exploitation.

Scope & Objectives:

Harden wireless network infrastructure by securing administrative access and restricting device connectivity

Configure endpoint firewall protections for public network environments to reduce exposure on untrusted networks

Allow required services and applications while maintaining a restrictive firewall posture

Analyze network traffic generated by stealth scanning techniques using packet inspection

Demonstrate how penetration testing activity can be detected and analyzed through network monitoring

Environment:

Operating Systems

Windows 10 / Windows 11

Linux (for controlled network scanning activities)

Network

Local LAN environment

Tools Used:

Wireless router management interface

Windows Defender Firewall

Wireshark

Nmap / Zenmap

Ethical Notice

** All activities demonstrated in this project were performed in a controlled lab environment on authorized systems for educational purposes only. **

PART 1 — Network & OS Hardening

This scenario simulates a small corporate environment where a network technician is responsible for improving wireless security controls and endpoint firewall configurations to reduce unauthorized access risks.

Wireless Network Hardening

• Updated default administrative credentials on the wireless controller to reduce unauthorized access risk
• Implemented MAC address allow-listing to restrict network access to authorized devices only

Endpoint Firewall Configuration

• Enabled firewall protections for public network profiles to reduce exposure on untrusted networks
• Configured firewall rules to allow required services and applications while maintaining a restrictive default posture

PART 2 — Penetration Testing

This scenario simulates a penetration testing engagement where stealth scanning techniques are analyzed to understand how attackers attempt to evade detection mechanisms, and how such activity appears in network monitoring tools.

Network Reconnaissance Analysis

• Performed a simulated stealth scan using decoy traffic techniques

  

• Captured and analyzed network traffic using Wireshark to observe scan behavior

• Identified multiple source IP addresses associated with decoy-based scanning activity

Created By:

• Author Name: Selfridge Oya Eloi • Author Contact: https:www.linkedin.com/in/christ-selfridge-oya-eloi-72342a113