Security considerations in communications systems and networks

The author surveys potential passive threats to secure communications and the defences against them, primarily cryptographic, and of active attacks, where detection and adaptation is normally possible but may cause an inescapable loss of performance. He covers in more detail how cryptographic protection fits into generic network architectures, as defined by the ISO model, and the solutions most appropriate to civil and military applications, including virtual private networks. He discusses a range of representative specific problems, at the transport, network and internet levels of civil and military networks, and illustrates their solutions. Finally, he discusses basic communications security (comsec) policy, design strategy, and cost-effectiveness. He concludes that, provided comsec is included in system design ab initio, security can be achieved without excessive operational or financial cost.<>