Basic Self-assessment: Go Hack Yourself

No network is 100% secure. A system administrator must determine how secure the network must be, and implement a security policy that conforms to that philosophy. One thing that will play a major role in the security of a network is the monetary cost versus the cost of a security breach. Is the threat from a malicious source dangerous enough to justify the cost of protecting against an intrusion? One must continuously assess the network's vulnerabilities and keep abreast of the latest threats. I believe employee education plays a major role in network security. If your employees don't know what is expected of them, and they are unaware of the consequences of their actions, what motivation could they have to do their part in keeping the network secure? Anti-virus software must be kept up-to-date, operating systems and applications must be patched, passwords must be checked, penetration scans must be performed, and backups must be done. The list goes on and on. When all of this has been done, and no holes have been found, you, as a system administrator, can finally relax...then start from the top and do it all over again.