The Internet has become a key tool for business communication and information sharing, and many organizations would cease to function if e-mail and Web access was denied for any significant period. All Internet Content you read, send, and receive carries a risk. The number of potential security risks has increased at the same time that dependence on information technology has grown, making the need for a comprehensive security program even more important. Likewise, the job of those persons tasked with network security, often system administrators, has never been harder.

The number of reported security incidents continues to grow and there is little indication that this trend will improve at any time in the near future. In 2001, there were 52,658 reported incidents. By the end of the first quarter of 2002 there were already 26,829 incidents reported. A reported incident can be as simple as a single computer being compromised or as severe as a complete network compromise involving hundreds of client computers. The number of reported security vulnerabilities has continued to grow at the same alarming rate with 2,437 vulnerabilities reported in 2001 and 1,065 reported by the end of Q1 2002.

Unfortunately, many companies have stopped short of implementing a more secure "layered" approach to network security and have chosen to rely solely on the firewall/virus scanner approach. While firewalls and virus protection are necessary, by themselves they address only one portion of potential security risks and may contribute to a false sense of security. A more complete approach integrates these technologies with other effective tools including Web and e-mail filtering, intrusion detection, PKI, and artificial intelligence tools. Advanced tools can automate many tasks and increase the efficiency of a security program while reducing demand on network administrators.