• Identifies and prioritizes threats based upon incidents reported to CIAC and CERT
• Critiques network security policies based upon ISO 17799 international standards
• Reviews the requirements for establishing a quarantined site for the testing of freeware and shareware
• Discusses how to delegate the security assessment of individual network components, such as routers, bridges, gateways, servers, and cabling
• Examines the creation of effective vulnerability assessment reports, and details how they can be used by management to monitor the success of proposed security remedies

The instant access that hackers have to the latest tools and techniques demands that companies become more aggressive in defending the security of their networks. Conducting a network vulnerability assessment, a self-induced hack attack, identifies the network components and faults in policies, and procedures that expose a company to the damage caused by malicious network intruders.

Managing a Network Vulnerability Assessment provides a formal framework for finding and eliminating network security threats, ensuring that no vulnerabilities are overlooked. This thorough overview focuses on the steps necessary to successfully manage an assessment, including the development of a scope statement, the understanding and proper use of assessment methodology, the creation of an expert assessment team, and the production of a valuable response report. The book also details what commercial, freeware, and shareware tools are available, how they work, and how to use them.

By following the procedures outlined in this guide, a company can pinpoint what individual parts of their network need to be hardened, and avoid expensive and unnecessary purchases.