Windows Server 2003 Security: A Technical Reference

Chapter 4. Restricting Access to Software; Restricting Software's Access to Resources

Many of today's successful attacks are application layer attacks, which are the result of an exploit based on vulnerabilities in applications other than the operating system. While these attacks do cause enormous problems, many other problems are caused by accidental user actions such as clicking on email attachments, downloading software from the Internet, and misusing applications. These actions can result in accidental deletions, loss of data integrity, and loss of access to encrypted data. While we must strengthen defenses to protect applications from malicious attack, write applications that do not include vulnerabilities, and train users to make better ...