ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of cyber threats to information, information systems, and information infrastructure as well as cyber defensive measures. The learning goals for this chapter are as follows:
◾ Obtain a global perspective of the measures that must be addressed in providing network and information security
◾ Gain an understanding of the threat level and the trends taking place in the development and deployment of new malware
◾ Examine in detail the different types of malware and their means of propagation ◾ Understand the vulnerability naming schemes ◾ Understand how polymorphism and metamorphism are employed in malware to mutate
in an attempt to avoid detection ◾ Examine the motivation that underlies the cyber attacks, and explore some of the meth-
ods employed in attacking high value targets ◾ Obtain an overview of the spectrum of techniques that can be used to counter or elimi-
nate the security threats
While information security has been a topic of extreme importance since the beginning of time, the ubiquitous nature of today’s Internet has accelerated the importance of this area to a new and critical level. It is absolutely vital, that in today’s world, one must have confidence that secrets, whether they are composed of credit card numbers, personal data or information of national importance, remain secret as they pass through myriad elements encountered along the communication path from source to destination.
