As the sixth century B.C. Chinese military strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu stated in his famous military text The Art of War: If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles. Once you understand how hackers think, the tools they use, their exploits, and their attack techniques, you can then create effective defenses to protect against them. Understanding hacking not only improves network security; it also maintains security at a high level of readiness. Why is understanding hacking, exploitation, vulnerabilities, and attacks critically important? What motivates hackers to attack computer networks? Why does anyone get involved in illicit activity outside the mainstream?
