Various Possible Attacks and Mitigations of the OSI Model Layers Through Pentesting – An Overview

Abstract

The OSI model is the traditional way to transmit data from one computer node to another. The transmission distance can differ from the node being in the next cubicle or to the next continent or anywhere in the world. The data is transmitted and received by the nodes that are connected to the internet. Even offline versions of transmission happen within a closed network of wired or wireless connectivity. Whatever the case may be OSI Model plays the most vital role in the transmission of data. The OSI Model has been passed down from generations of computer systems. This is the foundation of data transmission where the security should be at the maximum. The approach in this paper is to provide an eagle's view on the attacks and security at each layer and the methods to mitigate those threats through penetration testing. Preventing an attack before it happens is the smartest move in the cyber field. Routine checks on the mitigation process will prevent a lot of data theft and save face in the future and protect the data and the network. The structure of this paper involves a short OSI model description and its layers. The attacks can be launched by any malicious hacker in each of the layers which can be mimicked through penetration testing. The mitigation process if any, can be performed for these types of attacks. If a system is armed up with security measures at each layer level, the penetration of that node or network would be next to impossible. This is not an easy feat to achieve and would require a whole lot of creative ideas and foolproof systems in place. Security is one of the top concerns in every area of the personal or professional front. Creating a foolproof system for the transmission of data from layer 1 through to layer 7 of the OSI model implemented among computer nodes can guarantee to be an impossible challenge for hackers to crack at. Over time these security measures can become a guideline or a protocol that would be implemented in the OSI Model. Awareness is the first line of defense or offense that can be initiated for mitigating any kind of attack in the cyber world. Only with knowledge of the attack, an enterprise can protect itself from the outside world. This is the first step towards that long road of awareness and mitigation process of attacks performed on the various layers of the OSI Model.