Summary

The importance of security cannot be understated. Your personal and private information is stored on computers that are running a variety of applications and operating systems. The skills you need to ensure the security of these systems continue to increase and continue to become more complex. Computers and the connectivity that they provide have made tasks easier and less cumbersome for many people. However, most people do not know anything about the network and systems on which they perform personal and business transactions. They really just want to get the job done and rely on network engineers and security to ensure the efficiency and security of their communication systems, on which they transfer personal and business data.

The economic impact of security breaches is no longer just a public-relations issue. Even though the direct economic impact of security breaches is estimated to cost companies many billions of dollars a year, there are other financial costs as well. State governments and the federal government have passed legislation to ensure the privacy of personal data and to provide penalties if breaches occur.

Your capacity to fully understand this chapter, and to creatively apply the concepts, will be fundamental to your ability to secure networks for both small and large organizations. Network security is a crucial area for companies, and with the continued growth of networks and the connectivity they provide, network security will continue to grow in importance.