Computer security falls into three main topics. They are:
 

• Hacking - Someone trying to get unauthorised access to your systems and data
• Viruses and Spyware - The spreading of unauthorised and possible damaging software
• Spam - The spread of unsolicited mail
  
  
   

But the question is how to protect oneself against these forms of security threats? Well as always this is not a simple answer as it depends on the level of security you need, but in general there are three areas that can be addressed:
 

• The Gateway - This is usually where the Internet meets your company network. This is the least intrusive location and method of implementing security. If it is implemented correctly it will filters out almost all viruses, Spam and attacks that come from the Internet (via E-Mail, Web Surfing or directly from the Internet).
• The Servers - This is mild in it level of interference as it is only required on central servers. It scans the files that are held on file servers and protects against physical spreading of viruses.
• The Client - This is the most intrusive and requires antivirus, firewall and other software engines to be loaded onto everyone’s computer.
   

The most obvious Gateway product is a firewall. Although firewalls are important and definitely your first line of defence against hacking attacks it is not enough to stop viruses and spam. An ideal gateway should include:
 

• Firewall with VPN
• Anti-Spam filter
• Antivirus filter
• Plus - URL
   

After the gateway your next Security focus should be your servers. These should be monitored and scanned all the time. To do this you should use an intrusion detention or prevention system. If you have very sensitive data on these machines then it is recommended that they also be protected by their own firewall too. This is often achieved using virtualisation techniques to produce a solution that is both cost affective and easy to manage.