23.7 Summary

Programmed threats are among the most serious threats facing users and administrators in today's networked computing environments. Programmatic attack agents let evildoers reach into your computer system and make it act on their behalf. It is thus vital that you keep these programs out of your computer system from the beginning, as eradicating them may be impossible.

There are many different kinds of programmed threats—from rootkits and Trojan horses to computer viruses and even explicit but dangerous instructions aimed at your users.

There are many steps that you can take to protect yourself against programmed threats, including using anti-virus software, applying patches, and providing user education. You must employ them all to protect your system. Otherwise, you will eventually be a victim. There are simply too many of these attack programs on the loose.