Introduction

THE ENEMY IS NO LONGER IGNORANCEIT IS VIGILANCE

Back in the heady days of 1999, when the first edition of Hacking Exposed was released, everyone was pouring into the latest dot-com and preparing for their inevitable IPO. Times were good, and new technologies were being developed at a torrid pace. Well, as we all know, those days of starting a dot-com and taking a private company public in 12 months are long gone. Not only has the financial market changed dramatically, but so has the security landscape. If you don't know that security is now a necessity, not a luxury, you have either been living in a cave for the past five years or are lost remembering the fond old days when your dot-com stock was worth something.

From the beginning, when we first created the concept for Hacking Exposed, our goal has always been to educate and enlighten. Some may say, "educate and enlighten the bad guys," but we disagree . The bad guys (and gals) already know what we are presenting. In fact, the good news is that many of you know or will soon know the techniques and concepts that many attackers rely on to do their dirty work. We always say that security isn't necessarily difficult, it just requires a bit of education and a lot of vigilance.

So in Hacking Exposed, Fifth Edition, the operative word is vigilance. Whether you are a home user or part of the security team of a Global 100 company, you must be vigilant. Do not bow to the pressures of apathy. Keep a watchful eye on security and you will be rewarded personally and professionally. Don't become yet another victim of a drive-by shooting on the information superhighway.