ABSTRACT
This chapter describes data backup, firewalls, software patches, antivirus software, and user education. The best defense against the myriad possible malware and hacking events that threaten the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computing devices and personal information is a defense-in-depth approach to information security. Data failures are inevitable, and malware can strike at any time. A hard drive can crash, a glass of water can spill on a laptop keyboard, or malware can delete a hard drive, all without warning. A firewall is a security mechanism that provides protection against unwanted and malicious network traffic from reaching a computer. Software firewalls are either elements of an operating system or are installed on a computer as a separate application. Hardware firewalls are built into a router—a device used as a gateway to connect to the Internet. Antivirus software vendors distribute virus signatures to users through the Internet.
