INTRODUCTION

Computer, information, and physical security are becoming more important at an exponential rate. Over the last few years, the necessity for computer and information security has grown rapidly as Web sites have been defaced, denial-of-service attacks have increased, credit card information has been stolen, publicly available hacking tools have become more sophisticated, and today’s viruses and worms have continued to cause more damage than ever before.

Companies have had to spend millions of dollars to clean up the effects of these issues and millions of dollars more to secure their perimeter and internal networks with equipment, software, consultants, and education. But after September 11, 2001, the necessity and urgency for this type of security has lead to a new paradigm emerging. It is slowly becoming apparent that governments, nations, and societies are vulnerable to many different types of attacks that can happen over the network wire and airwaves. Societies depend heavily on all types of computing power and functionality, mostly provided by the public and private sectors. This means that although governments are responsible for protecting their citizens, it is becoming apparent that the citizens and their businesses must become more secure to protect the nation as a whole.

This type of protection can really only begin through proper education and understanding, and must continue with the dedicated execution of this knowledge. This book is written to provide a foundation in the many different areas that make up effective security. We need to understand all of the threats and dangers we are vulnerable to and the steps that must be taken to mitigate these vulnerabilities.

Along with this book, you can access free online practice exams from www.logicalsecurity.com. For information on how to access your free exams, refer to the Appendix “About the Free Online Practice Exams and MP3s” at the back of this book.