User guide

Chapter 1.

Security Overview

Because of the increased reliance on powerful, networked computers to help run businesses and

keep track of our personal information, entire industries have been formed around the practice of

network and computer security. Enterprises have solicited the knowledge and skills of security experts

to properly audit systems and tailor solutions to fit the operating requirements of their organization.

Because most organizations are increasingly dynamic in nature, their workers are accessing critical

company IT resources locally and remotely, hence the need for secure computing environments has

become more pronounced.

Unfortunately, many organizations (as well as individual users) regard security as more of an

afterthought, a process that is overlooked in favor of increased power, productivity, convenience, ease

of use, and budgetary concerns. Proper security implementation is often enacted postmortem — after

an unauthorized intrusion has already occurred. Taking the correct measures prior to connecting a

site to an untrusted network, such as the Internet, is an effective means of thwarting many attempts at

intrusion.

Note

This document makes several references to files in the /lib directory. When using 64-bit

systems, some of the files mentioned may instead be located in /lib64.

1.1. Introduction to Security

1.1.1. What is Computer Security?

Computer security is a general term that covers a wide area of computing and information processing.

Industries that depend on computer systems and networks to conduct daily business transactions

and access critical information regard their data as an important part of their overall assets. Several

terms and metrics have entered our daily business vocabulary, such as total cost of ownership

(TCO), return on investment (ROI), and quality of service (QoS). Using these metrics, industries

can calculate aspects such as data integrity and high-availability (HA) as part of their planning and

process management costs. In some industries, such as electronic commerce, the availability and

trustworthiness of data can mean the difference between success and failure.

1.1.1.1. How did Computer Security come about?

Information security has evolved over the years due to the increasing reliance on public networks not

to disclose personal, financial, and other restricted information. There are numerous instances such

as the Mitnick

and the Vladimir Levin

cases that prompted organizations across all industries to re-

think the way they handle information, including its transmission and disclosure. The popularity of

the Internet was one of the most important developments that prompted an intensified effort in data

security.

An ever-growing number of people are using their personal computers to gain access to the resources

that the Internet has to offer. From research and information retrieval to electronic mail and commerce

transactions, the Internet has been regarded as one of the most important developments of the 20th

century.

http://law.jrank.org/pages/3791/Kevin-Mitnick-Case-1999.html

http://www.livinginternet.com/i/ia_hackers_levin.htm