Security

Prevention is the key when it comes to network security. Identifying and stopping intrusion in all its forms is what security is all about. But identifying a potential intrusion is not always obvious, or likely. The usual security suspects Soviet spies, CIA agents, and industrial espionage make great headlines, but they don't pose real risks to the average company. However, just because you're not building the next secret weapon doesn't mean that you're not at risk from security breaches. Far more often, security risks come from acts committed out of human error, greed, malcontent, or machine error.

Physical theft, electronic tampering, and unauthorized access are just three of the more obvious threats to network equipment and data. Physical theft includes people stealing computers, taking floppies with data, and tapping into the cable to siphon off information. Electronic tampering covers computer viruses and other malicious reprogramming. Unauthorized access, the most common threat to security, usually occurs when people see information they shouldn't.

There are literally hundreds of approaches that can be taken to deal with these threats. Just as there are many forms of home security from a lock on the door to a 24-hour guard there are many forms of network security. And as the type of home security you use depends on your neighborhood, valuables, insurance, and the amount of money you have, the type and amount of prevention your network needs depends upon the importance of the company's data, the expense of computer equipment, the likelihood of intrusion, and the amount of money...