Network Security First-Step, Second Edition

Reputation-Based Security

Internet users are under attack, and an increasingly common characteristic of malware is the presence of a URL that a user must visit as part of the attack. Organized criminals methodically and invisibly exploit vulnerabilities in websites and browsers to infect computers, stealing valuable information (login credentials, credit card numbers, and intellectual property), and turning both corporate and consumer networks into unwilling participants in propagating spam and malware. Simply allowing a user to visit their favorite website, or clicking a link from their top ten search results, is all it takes for the malware infection process to unknowingly begin.

For most malware creators, recognition for creating a clever ...