Latest revision as of 10:09, 3 March 2016

1 Overview

For computers to chat to each other, they need a unique identifier. Like a phone number, an IP address is your unique number.

If you want to see your IP number then try this link [1]

Your IP address will be 4 blocks of numbers separate by full stops 12.34.56.78

There are newer IP addressing systems but for the moment, IPv4 (the above layout is still predominant globally). IPv6 is the coming one, but it is taking a while to become standard. [2]

2 IP and Security

An IP address can be used for security. In the same way you can block phone numbers ringing your house, you can block IP addresses from accessing the service. There are two approaches white listing and black listing.

White Listing. By default all IP addresses are blocked. The white list, are the only IP addresses allowed.

Black Listing. By default all IP addresses are allowed. The black list, are IP addresses explicitly blocked.

bxp can handle not only single IP addresses but also ranges of numbers to make management easier Security_-_IP_Ranges

3 Static IPs

Unlike a phone number though, your IP can change. You need to ask the people you rent the Internet from for a Static IP address, which means you get your own dedicated number. Most big businesses will get a static IP address for security reasons.

4 bxp Security

bxp can make use of IP addresses. bxp maintains a central black list of IP addresses we know are attempting to spam / break into bxp. This default black list secures all systems.

bxp can perform various amounts of white listing. White listing can be applied at a personal or system level. Lets take two examples.

Firstly everyone you know works from two offices. You put the two IP addresses into bxp at a system level so now bxp can only be used by people in the office. Very simple and very secure.

Secondly there are some people who should only be allowed access from the office. There are managers however who could be working from anywhere. So you don't put any system level IPs in. For those users that can only access from the office, you put white listing IP addresses on their accounts.

The How To on applying IP security for user accounts is discussed here. Security_-_IP_Locking

5 The bxp API

There are ways of integrating bxp with automated services. This is done through the Bxp_API

As a result of the security challenges of automated systems IP white listing is forced on any account interacting with the bxp API. So every API account will be IP locked.

6 Pros and Cons

Making systems more secure is always a consideration for Security and Risk departments. The ideal solution is to lock everything down as much as possible. This does restrict where the system can be accessed from. The ideal solution is to review each user on a case by case basis and where possible apply restrictions to the bare minimum required.