CNN is reporting that a vicious new virus is wreaking havoc on the world’s computer networks. Somebody’s hacked one of your favorite Web sites and stolen thousands of credit card numbers. The FBI just released a new report on computer crime that’s got you shaking in your boots. The experts will tell you that keeping your network safe from the cyber-wolves howling after your assets is complicated, expensive, and best left to them. But the truth is, anybody with a working knowledge of networks and computers can do just about everything necessary to defend their network against most security threats.

Whether your network consists of one computer with a high-speed Internet connection or hundreds of workstations distributed across dozens of locations, you’ll find what you need to confidently:

• Identify your network’s security weaknesses
• Install an intrusion detection system
• Use simple, economical techniques to secure your data
• Defend against viruses
• Keep hackers at bay
• Plug security holes in individual applications
• Build a secure network from scratch