Integrating cybersecurity controls into network administration practices for securing computer information systems

The rising sophistication of computer networks and cyber threats has made cybersecurity a vital part of modern network management. Traditionally, network management and security have been treated as separate domains, leading to delayed threat detection and increased system vulnerabilities. This study focuses on integrating cybersecurity controls into everyday network administration to improve the security of computer information systems. It highlights the importance of incorporating mechanisms such as traffic monitoring, access control, intrusion detection, and anomaly detection into routine network operations. The NF-UNSW-NB15-V2 dataset, which contains extensive network traffic records including normal and malicious activities, is used to support the analysis. The dataset includes features such as IP addresses, ports, protocol types, packet counts, byte volumes, and flow characteristics, enabling detailed evaluation of network behavior. Data analysis and feature exploration are conducted to identify traffic patterns associated with potential security risks and to assess how these metrics support the implementation of cybersecurity controls. The results indicate that integrating cybersecurity controls with network administration improves visibility into network activities and enables timely detection of abnormal and malicious behavior. Flow-level metrics, including packet rates, byte distribution, and protocol usage, are effective for intrusion detection attack surfaces, and protecting critical information assets for administrators and security professionals.