Incident Response: A Strategic Guide to Handling System and Network Security Breaches

Chapter 1. An Introduction to Incident Response

The proliferation of computing technology is one of the most pronounced trends in the second half of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century. Not much more than novelty when first introduced, computers now are not only commonplace but also essential in much of this world. No one knows how many computers, let alone computer users, there currently are.

Computers in and of themselves have limited value. As standalone entities, they enable people to prepare reports, keep track of tax records, and so on. The power of computing lies in the capability of computers to interconnect. ...