Cisco NAC Appliance: Enforcing Host Security with Clean Access

Introduction

Almost every contemporary corporation and organization has acquired and deployed security solutions or mechanisms to keep its networks and data secure. Hardware and software tools such as firewalls, network-based intrusion prevention systems, antivirus and antispam packages, host-based intrusion prevention solutions, and vulnerability scanners have proven effective to a certain degree, but only if they are kept up to date. For example, classic virus attacks sent via e-mail attachments, such as netsky and MyDoom, can easily be detected and prevented by any up-to-date antivirus and antispam software package. The key to stopping host attacks is being able to proactively enforce security policies that ensure all hosts must be fully patched ...