# About This Guide

## How to use this guide

This supplement is intended for the person setting up security on the MAX. It explains how to set up different kinds of security by options using the MAX configuration interface, and contains the following chapters:

- Chapter 1, "Getting Started: Basic Security Measures," details recommended changes to default security settings to protect the MAX from unauthorized access.

- Chapter 2, "Setting Up Security Profiles," describes security levels for the MAX and explains the privileges you can set in Security profiles.

- Chapter 3, "Setting Up User Authentication," explains how to identify and permit access to users dialing in over both analog and digital lines.

- Chapter 4, "Defining Static Filters," details how to set up data filters and call filters.

- Chapter 5, "Setting Up Security-Card Authentication," describes how the MAX supports dynamic password challenges sent from an external authentication server at a secure site.

- Chapter 6, "Setting Up User Authorization," describes how to limit user access to network devices, resources, and services.

This supplement also contains an index.

## What this guide does not contain

This supplement does not describe how to set up security in RADIUS, how to use the Access Control product, or how to set up the MAX to work with firewalls and the Secure Access product. Further, it does not discuss general network security issues or provide guidelines about the extent to which you should protect your network and local hosts. For pointers to information about these products and topics, consult the following publications:

#### Topic | #### Publication
--- | ---
RADIUS | MAX RADIUS Configuration Guide
Access Control | Access Control User's Guide
Firewalls and Secure Access | Secure Access Manager User's Guide
Detailed discussion of security issues | Firewalls and Internet Security by William R. Cheswick and Steven M. Bellovin

## What you should know

You should read this supplement if you are configuring security in the MAX. This supplement does not discuss general network security issues, or provide guidelines for protecting your network and local hosts. To use this book effectively, however, you should be familiar with network security. If you need background information, you might find the book by William R. Cheswick and Steven M. Bellovin helpful. (For a list of publications, see "What this guide does not contain."

You might also want to consider RADIUS and other external servers that offer additional methods for handling security.

Ascend's Access Control is a software program that provides authentication, authorization, and accounting services for users who request network connections.

## Documentation conventions

Following are all the special characters and typographical conventions used in this manual:

#### Convention | #### Meaning
--- | ---
`Monospace text` | Represents text that appears on your computer's screen, or that could appear on your computer's screen.
Boldface mono-space text | Represents characters that you enter exactly as shown (unless the characters are also in italics-see Italics, below). If you could enter the characters but are not specifically instructed to, they do not appear in boldface.
Italics | Represent variable information. Do not enter the words themselves in the command. Enter the information they represent. In ordinary text, italics are used for titles of publications, for some terms that would otherwise be in quotation marks, and to show emphasis.
[ ] | Square brackets indicate an optional argument you might add to a command. To include such an argument, type only the information inside the brackets. Do not type the brackets unless they appear in bold type.
| | Separates command choices that are mutually exclusive.
> | Points to the next level in the path to a parameter or menu item. The item that follows the angle bracket is one of the options that appears when you select the item that precedes the angle bracket.
Key1-Key2 | Represents a combination keystroke. To enter a combination keystroke, press the first key and hold it down while you press one or more other keys. Release all the keys at the same time. (For example, Ctrl-H means hold down the Control key and press the H key.)
Press Enter | Means press the Enter, or Return, key or its equivalent on your computer.
Note: | Introduces important additional information.
Caution: | Warns that a failure to follow the recommended procedure could result in loss of data or damage to equipment.
Warning: | Warns that a failure to take appropriate safety precautions could result in physical injury.

Note: In a menu-item path, include a space before and after each ">" character.

## Manual set

The MAX Documentation Set consists of the following manuals:

- Administration Guide for your MAX

- Hardware Installation Guide for your MAX

- Network Configuration Guide for your MAX

- MAX Glossary

- MAX Reference Guide

- MAX Security Supplement (this supplement)

- MAX RADIUS Configuration Guide

Copyright © 1998, Ascend Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.