Digging Trenches
Jim Tiller · Information Systems Security · 2005
Over the years, the frontline of the battlefield in the war between attackers and defenders has swayed back and forth, each gaining temporary advantages between volleys. Hackers seemingly focus on a particular dimension of security defenses and the flood gates begin to open, forcing companies to reassess their security strategy. The 1990s were the decade of network layer attacks ushering in the age of the firewall and intrusion detection systems. Aggressive worms rang in the new year with Nimda and Code Red lashing out at IT systems all over the world. The emergence of several worms, such as Cheese, sadmind, and L10n in the early years of the 21st century, was only the tip of the iceberg. During this time organizations were desperately seeking options to quell the onslaught, while simultaneously facing the reality of regulatory commitments. Of course, this still continues today.