Securing Your Business with Cisco ASA and PIX Firewalls

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 ...