Chapter 11. TCP/IP Networks
Local and wide area computer networks have
changed the landscape of computing forever. Almost gone are the days
when each computer was separate and distinct. Today, networks allow
people across a room or across the globe to exchange electronic
messages, share resources such as printers and disk drives, or even
use each other's computers. Networks have become
such an indispensable part of so many people's lives
that one can hardly imagine using modern computers without them.
But networks have also brought with them their share of security
problems, precisely because of their power to let users easily share
information and resources. Networks allow people you have never met
to reach out and touch you—and erase all of your files in the
process. They have enabled individuals to launch sophisticated
electronic attacks against both major institutions and desktop
computers in home offices. Indeed, for every opportunity that
networks have created, they have similarly created a corresponding
risk.
This chapter describes local and wide area networks, and shows how
they fit into the Unix security picture. In Chapter 12, we'll describe how network
services can be effectively secured so that you can take advantage of
the opportunities while reducing exposure to the risks.
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