Week 6: Network security

Hello. You're now 6 weeks into the course. As we saw a couple of weeks back, computer networks provide the basic infrastructure for the internet and the worldwide web. Therefore, it's important to understand how these networks can be protected from attacks. Building on what you recently learned about networking and cryptography, you can now see how to protect the underlying communications networks and computers you use.

By the end of this week, you'll understand the role of firewalls and protecting networks, you'll be able to configure your own personal firewall on your computer, and you'll be able to describe how networks can be automatically monitored to detect attacks as they occur. You'll also learn how cryptography enables virtual private networks to maintain your confidentiality. When you lock your front door, you protect your valuables and personal space in the real world. Now let’s see how to do the same for your digital life.