The book provides a comprehensive overview of network security fundamentals, essential for anyone looking to understand or enhance their knowledge in this critical area. It begins with an introduction to network security, covering its essentials, goals, common threats, and attacks.

The importance of security policies, procedures, user awareness, and training is emphasized, alongside the necessity of risk management. The second part delves into key technologies and practices, including cryptography, authentication, access control, firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, secure network design, wireless network security, and best practices.

It also addresses the legal and ethical aspects of network security. The third part focuses on access control, discussing its principles, identification, authentication factors, authorization concepts, identity and access management (IAM), and related terminologies.

It includes components of IAM, challenges in implementation, future trends, case studies, examples, and lessons learned from access control failures. .