Building an Intelligence-Led Security Program

Chapter 1

Understanding the threat

Abstract

This chapter provides a 40-year encapsulation of cyber attacks, starting with the first computer worm and working through to large scale DDoS attacks, the chapter reviews the history of network security threats, what the current state is and what is to come.

Keywords

Virus

Worm

Exploitation

Morris Worm

DISA

Firewall

IDS

Proxy

phishing

spear phishing

DDoS

underground economy

Malware, Creeper

Information in this chapter

• A Brief History of Network Security

• Understanding the Current Threat

• The Coming Threats

Introduction

In 1981, the great Jon Postel wrote in RFC (request for comments) 793, “be conservative in what you do, be liberal in what you accept from others.” Postel was introducing ...