How to configure SDM to secure a router

Cisco SDM simplifies router and security configuration through sophisticated wizards, enabling you to quickly and easily deploy, configure, and monitor a Cisco access router without involving knowledge of the Cisco IOS Software command-line interface (CLI).

== Segment ONE: ==

Connect to R2 using TFTP Server. 

Create a username and password on R2:

R2(config)#username ccna password ciscoccna 

Enable the http secure server on R2 and connect to R2 using a web browser on TFTP Server:

R2(config)#ip http secure-server 

• Generating 1024 bit RSA keys, keys will be non-exportable...[OK]

R2(config)#

• Nov 16 16:01:07.763: %SSH-5-ENABLED: SSH 1.99 has been enabled
• Nov 16 16:01:08.731: %PKI-4-NOAUTOSAVE: Configuration was modified. Issue "write memory" to save new certificate''

R2(config)#end 

R2#copy run start 

From TFTP Server, open a web browser and navigate to https://192.168.20.1/

Login with the previously configured username and password:

username: ccna

password: ciscoccna

Select Cisco Router and Security Device Manager 

Open Internet Explorer and enter the IP address for R2 in the address bar

Make sure that you have all popup blockers turned off in your browser. 
Also make sure that JAVA is installed and updated.

This window opens.

After it is done loading, a new window opens for SDM like this one:

== Segment TWO: ==

Navigate to the Security Audit feature.

Click the . Configure . button in the top left side of the window

Now navigate down the left panel to Security Audit and click on it.

== Segment THREE: ==

When you click on Security Audit, the next window will gives you a brief explanation of what the Security Audit feature does.

Click on

Next     

to open the Security Audit Interface configuration window.

An interface should be classified as outside (untrusted).

After selecting outside and inside interfaces, click

Next

A new window opens indicating that SDM is conducting a security audit check:

Now we can discover that the default configuration is not secure.

Click

Close

to continue.

== Segment 4: Applying settings to the router. ==

Click

Fix All

to make all the suggested security changes.

Then click

Next

Enter your banner message to use as the message of the day for the router, and then click

Next

Now set the level of severity of log traps that you want the router to send to the syslog server.

The severity level is set to debugging for this scenario.

To view a summary of the changes about to be made to the router.

Click

Next 

== Segment 5: Commit the configuration to the router. ==

After you review the changes, click

Finish

preparing... ...

Click

Ok

Now you can use the command

show run  

and see the new configuration of your router.

I hope you enjoy the security audits to measure the strengths and weaknesses of your router configurations against common security vulnerabilities and fine-tune your present security configurations to better suit your business needs.