Introduction

Endpoint protection has quickly become a "must have" rather than a "nice to have" security mechanism in today s fast-paced world. Numerous worms, viruses, Trojan horses, bots, and other security malware circulate and grow on the Internet at an alarming rate, and you need to counter these effectively with appropriate technologies. The endpoint, being the point of execution for the malicious code, is where you should place the most effective counter mechanisms. This reality has prompted the industry to understand the need for such software to be developed. The Cisco Security Agent (CSA) software provides the protection necessary to combat these threats. Viruses and worms are no longer simply viewed as a nuisance, but rather as theft and vandalism. The threats are real, and the protective mechanisms required need to be more robust than those used previously.