Security is not binary. It is not a switch or even a series of switches. It cannot be expressed in absolute terms. Do not believe anyone who tries to convince you otherwise. Security is relative—there is only more secure and less secure. Furthermore, security is dynamic—people, process, and technology all change. The bottom line is that all of these factors make managing security difficult.

This book has been designed and written to help you increase, assess, and maintain the security of computers running Microsoft Windows 2000 and Microsoft Windows XP. It will also help you better understand how people and process are integral parts of security. By applying the principles, practices, and recommendations detailed in this book, we hope that you are not only better equipped to manage security but also better equipped to think about security!