User's Manual

User Guide 1
CHAPTER 1 Introduction to
Network Security
Congratulations on your purchase of the WatchGuard Firebox® X Edge.
Your new security device provides peace of mind when countering
today’s network security threats.
To provide context for the many features described throughout this
user guide, this chapter explains basic concepts of networking and
network security.
Network Security
Although the Internet puts a tremendous volume of information at
your fingertips, it also presents risks by exposing your network to
attackers. Network security is the process of preventing and detecting
unauthorized use of your computer or network. Prevention measures
help you to stop intruders from accessing any part of your computer
system.
Although you may not consider anything on your computer “top
secret," you should still be very concerned about security. If you aren’t
careful, intruders can take malicious actions such as use your computer
to attack other computer systems, send forged e-mail from your com-
puter, or steal your financial information. They can also damage your
computer by reformatting your hard drive or changing your data.