Foreword


About twenty years ago, IEEE Spectrum called me for input on their year-end technology review and asked, "What is the biggest unsolved problem in computer security?" My immediate answer was, "lack of user awareness." Unfortunately, with the exception of spam and viruses, which are already wreaking havoc, my answer would probably be the same today.

While it is a dream that is unlikely to come true, when a system has just two possibilities being secure or insecure I would like to see vendors include the appropriate modifier in their sales pitches. Imagine the response if, when cell phones first came out, the banners in electronics stores had read, "Buy your insecure cell phone here!" Had this type of candor been a requirement rather than a voluntary disclosure, vendors would certainly have taken security more seriously.

In the same way, the fact that the Internet is inherently insecure needs to be recognized and dealt with. We need more forward-looking attempts to bring security to our electronic communications and I welcome Greg Abelar's effort in that direction. Firewalls are a critical part of any integrated network security strategy, and books such as this help raise awareness of the threats inherent in today's open, heterogeneous internetworking environments and the solutions that can be applied to make the Internet a safer place.


Martin E. Hellman
Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering
Stanford University
Co-inventor of public key cryptography



Securing Your Business with Cisco ASA and PIX Firewalls
Securing Your Business with Cisco ASA and PIX Firewalls
ISBN: 1587052148
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 120
Authors: Greg Abelar

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