Who should read this book? Although the book is aimed primarily at those who need to build firewalls, large parts of it are appropriate for everyone who is concerned about Internet security. This list tells you what sections are particularly applicable to you:
You should read the entire book.
You should read at least Part I of the book. The chapters in Part I will introduce you to the various types of Internet threats, services, and security approaches and strategies. These chapters will also introduce you to firewalls and describe what firewalls can and cannot do to enforce Internet security. You should also read Chapter 5, which provides an overview of firewall technologies. In addition, Appendix A will tell you where to go for more information and resources.
You should read all of the chapters we've cited for the managers in the previous category. In addition, you should read Part III, which explains the kinds of issues that may arise at your site over time—for example, how to develop a security policy, keep up to date, and react if someone attacks your site.
Although this book provides general concepts of firewalls appropriate to any site, it focuses on "average" sites: small to large commercial or educational sites. If you are setting up a personal firewall, you may wish to read just Part I, Chapter 5, and the service chapters appropriate to the services you wish to run. If you are setting up a firewall for an extremely large site, all of the chapters will be useful to you, but you may find that you need to use additional techniques.