Network Security Threats and Protection Models

In a brave new age of global connectivity and e-commerce, interconnections via networks have heightened, creating for both individuals and organizations, a state of complete dependence upon vulnerable systems for storage and transfer of information. Never before, have so many people had power in their own hands. The power to deface websites, access personal mail accounts, and worse more the potential to bring down entire governments, and financial corporations through openly documented software codes. This paper discusses the possible exploits on typical network components, it will cite real life scenarios, and propose practical measures that can be taken as safeguard. Then, it describes some of the key efforts done by the research community to prevent such attacks, mainly by using Firewall and Intrusion Detection Systems.