Inside Java™ 2 Platform Security: Architecture, API Design, and Implementation, Second Edition

1.3. Perimeter Defense

Because of the multitude of potential weaknesses and the essentially unlimited number of attack scenarios, whereby each scenario can be a combination of various attack techniques, securing an entire system can be daunting, especially when the system includes multiple host machines connected via a network. Because a system is only as secure as its weakest link, the security coverage must be comprehensive. The task is further complicated by the fact that a system—for example, the internal network deployed within a large enterprise—typically consists of machines of numerous brands and types. These machines run different operating systems and different application software and are connected with routers and other networking ...