ABSTRACT
Network security is a research topic that is being continually explored. Various network-centric
mechanisms are being developed to mitigate vulnerabilities. Firewalls, IDS and IPS, and anti-virus
software are just a few. These solutions provide significant security measures for their specific area;
however, as networks continue to grow and become more complex, the network becomes vulnerable in
different areas void of these security measures. Typically, the processes deployed to monitor these
network changes are lacking and many companies do not employ enough security personnel to monitor
all of the security devices within the network. Therefore, to provide a more effective security solution, an
adaptive conceptual framework needs to be devised that will automate the security measures within a
constantly changing network environment. This adaptive framework will utilize intelligent agents.
