A FINAL MESSAGE TO OUR READERS

We could not describe all the existing Cisco- related attacks in a single book and apologize if something has gone amiss. In the first place, compiling a comprehensive paper database of things that anyone can find by searching the SecurityFocus web site wasn't our goal. Our true aim was to describe how things work and why they work this way in a logical and sequential manner. In other words, we hope to "teach the person to fish instead of feeding him every day." Hopefully, after reading this tome, you will be able to understand how new vulnerabilities in Cisco operating systems and protocols are discovered and attack methodologies and code are developed. This is proactive security in actionif you do manage to grasp all the concepts in this book, you will never meet these emerging threats unprepared.

We don't know which path have you decided to takeit is your personal choice and personal responsibility. Just remember that the eternal information security battle is never fought between systems, protocols, or applications. In all cases, it happens between humans attackers and defenders. And whoever knows and understands more will invariably emerge victorious.