Chapter 1 - Network Security Overview

Abstract

This chapter gives a brief overview on the security networks. Parties share networks, such as the Internet, with conflicting interests. The job of network security is to keep them from spying on or interfering with each other's use of the network. The concept of cryptographic tools is briefly explained; there are numerous steps. The first step is the cryptographic algorithms—ciphers and cryptographic hashes. It is also described how to incorporate the cryptographic building blocks into protocols that provide secure communication between participants who possess the correct keys. To use ciphers and authenticators, the communicating participants need to know what keys to use; thus, key predistribution is also reviewed in this chapter. In addition, authentication protocols, secure systems, firewalls, and many other fundamentals are briefly explained.