Project Ideas for Spring 2022

In this project you would explore a couple of different intrusion prevention systems and create a lab which could be used in a network security course to demonstrate the use of IPS software. This may require the creation of pre-built virtual machines so that the principal features of IPS can be explored within a reasonable lab time. You may want to explore and create labs for both network (NIPS) and host (HIPS) based IPS.

Overlay networks allow you to build a network of systems (and sometimes subnets) which communicate with each other and appear to be on a local network even when they are connected through other networks. They share some similarities with VPNs but usually allow direct node to node communication without flowing through a central gateway. They can be supported/connected with both software and hardware depending on specific needs.

Digital signage player software is used to show photos and information on TV screens used as signs in public places. This project would be to explore and test at least a few different digital signage players and make a recommendation on ones to use for a few particular organizations with different needs.

Explore the operation of DNS servers, Web servers, and related services by modeling how the Internet DNS system works. Includes deploying at least a root nameserver, a few TLD nameservers, some nameservers for particular domains, delegated nameservers, as well as a root Certificate Authority, experimenting with DNSSEC and DANE, and setting up demo webservers for sample domains (utilizing the DNS infrastructure, DNSSEC, DANE, SSL/TLS certificates, etc.).

Explore the operation of public key infrastructure (security certificates). Includes setting up an enterprise certificate authority on Windows Server and/or Linux and then demonstrating the useful application of security certificates for things like: HTTPS websites, code signing, VPN authentication, Wireless Network 802.1x Authentication, email signing, etc. You will also determine the feasibility of using free public "Let’s Encrypt" certificates for any or all of these in an enterprise intranet setting.

The Inver Hills ITC department has an academic, demonstration, and research network ("ITCnet") which uses network devices from Cisco and HP and supports a number of virtual machines, hosts, and devices including Windows, Linux, Android, iPhone, and more. Network ports are not physically securable but it may be possible to improve security on this network by implementing some type of Network Access Control (NAC) which restricts access to network resources until a user authenticates to the network. Users on our network are stored in an Active Directory system which is also accessible through LDAP and RADIUS methods. It has been determined in previous groups that PacketFence is a reasonable option for NAC but test implementations with switches and wireless APs have not been completed. Your task would be to setup and test PacketFence with the Cisco and HP/3Com switches we use as well as with the Ubiquiti UniFi APs (running OpenWrt) and Aruba Wireless APs, and to document your results.

Your goal with this project is to create a self-updating/sustaining Linux operating system local mirror which would allow ITC students to more quickly install and update their Linux systems. The primary OS which must be supported is Debian Linux but you may choose to include other Linux distributions in the mirror as well. The mirror should include a package repository as well as an ISO repository. Your mirror needs to automatically stay up to date with the latest Linux distribution files and should support delivering files over IPv4 and IPv6. It should meet the requirements for being a public mirror.

In this project your goal would be to work on Internet Archival projects with the ArchiveTeam. Specifically, installing and running their Warrior VM for archival purposes as well as the ArchiveBot and possibly other archival systems.

There are MANY possible Python programming projects possible and could include local programs as well as cloud based serverless type programs (e.g., Azure Functions). Specific projects would depend on your existing Python knowledge and area of interest. Discuss these with your instructor.

In this project you would be installing, testing, and documenting the Opencast lecture capture system.