book suggestions, hmmmmmm ok well the ones that i highly recommend for linux security and firewalls in general are: Real World Linux Security by Toxen Hacking Exposed 4e Hacking Linux Exposed 2e Linux Firewalls by Ziegler Linux Security Cookbook and also the publishers of Hacking Exposed have just recently published a series of "Quick Reference Manuals" entitled HackNotes, covering general network security, linux and unix, web server and also windows(they need all the help they can get) if you aren't familiar with IDS systems new riders publishing also have books on network intrusion detection and network signatue analysis. I personally have all of the above named titles and the suggested new riders manuals as well, and they are all very good manuals, i didn't suggest Practical Unix and Internet Security by garfinkel although i have it and use it also , it's the grandaddy of them all, and a monster read as well and covers things common to solaris, unix, linux, freebsd and other *nix types. if i were to give my indispensible manual list it would be: Linux Firewalls Linux Security Cookbook Hacking Linux Exposed Practical Unix and Internet Security Real World Linux Security***** a DEFINATE must, has adaptive firewall programming techniques. and also the HackNotes series, yes even the windows one, teaches you the techniques and common tools in use such as the script kiddie attack you got hit with. and if you really enjoy they whys and hows of stuff, get a good book on NIDS and signature analysis, its what snort and the other utilize as the ground support for everything... hope this helps, May your script kiddies never learn to scan and ennumerate your machines.
