Securing the Lower Layers of OSI Model: Strategies and Best Practices against Cyber-Attacks

Abstract

This thesis investigates the security threats targeting the physical, data link, and network layers of the OSI model and examines the countermeasures proposed to address them. Through a thematic review and two empirical surveys, the study identifies a persistent deployment gap between technically advanced defensive solutions and their real-world adoption in organizations. Survey findings from IT professionals and general employees reveal that this gap is driven by a combination of staffing limitations, low management priority, legacy infrastructure, economic constraints, and the routine bypassing of physical and network controls by non-technical personnel. Based on these findings, the thesis proposes four practical strategies for securing OSI Layers 1-3 in enterprise environments, grounded in operational feasibility rather than algorithmic sophistication.