Acme University is a large public university with over $20,000$ students, $5,000$ faculty and staffm and a complex network infrasture spanning multiple buildings. Their network includes VLANs for different departments$$a WAN connecting various campuses$$ LANs within each building$$a VMAN for remote access$$ numerous routers$$ switches$$ hubs $$being phased out$$ printers$$ and desktop computers. They are required to comply with HIPAA and FERPA regulations for protecting sensitive student data.

Methodology:

$1.$ Preparation$(2-4$ weeks$)$:

Internal staff time: $$10,000-$$$20,000($based on average IT security salaries$)$

External consultant fees: $$15,000-$$$30,000($variable depending on expertise and scope$)$

Tools and software licenses: $$2,000-$$$5,000$depending on chosen tools$$

$2.$ Threat Identification and Assessment $(3-6$ weeks$)$

Vulnerability scanning tools: $$3,000-$$$8,000$ per year for licenses

Penetration testing services: $$5,000-$$$15,000$ per engagement

Security consultant fees: $$10,000-$$$25,000($for analysis and impact assessment$)$

$3.$ Mitigation and Remediation $(4-8$ weeks$)$:

Security awareness training: $$30-$$$100$ per user

Network monitoring tools: $$1,500-$$$5,000$ per month

Security consultant fees: $$5,000-$$$15,$OOO $($for implementation and review$)$

Routers:

Low$-$end edge routers: $$500-$$$1,500$

Mid$-$range enterprise routers: $$2,000-$$$5,000$

High$-$end core routers: $$10,000-$$$50,000+($depending on features and scalability$)$

Switches:

Unmanaged desktop switches: $$50-$$$150$

Managed switches: $$200-$$$1,000$

High$-$performance core switches: $$2,000-$$$10,000+$

Hubs:$($Note: Replacing hubs with switches is highly recommended$)$

Basic hubs: $$20-$$$50($outdated technology, not secure$)$

Printers:

Basic network printers: $$100-$$$300$

Multifunction network printers: $$300-$$$1,000$

High$-$security printers: $$1,000+$

Desktop computers:

Standard desktops: $$500-$$$1,000$

Secure workstations: $$1,000-$$$2,000+($depending on security features$)$

Additional Consideration:

Quantity: Costs decrease per unit with larger purchases.

Brand and features: Prices vary based on manufacture, performance, and advanced features

Deployment and configuration: Consider installation and ongoing management costs.

Licensing and maintenance: Additional expenses for software licenses and support contracts.

Conduct a comprehensive network risk accessment to identify vulnerabilities$$access potential threats$$ and develop a mitigation plan to improve the overall security posture of the university network.