Dissecting the Hack: The F0rb1dd3n Network Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Let me get this out of the way: If books could be reviewed as "first effort" this would be a five/five. For a really ambitious book out of the gate it does a decent job of hitting tons of domains from multiple angles to inform, excite, and influence the thought processes of the reader.
To be even more honest had I thumbed through this book before buying it I would not have bought it. A lot of alarms can go off when you see pictures of vendor equipment, tables of network services, and a touch of conspiracy theory in places. Not that those things are inherently bad but it's only a 400 page tome so that's a lot of real estate to be worried about misusing. The authors use those pages as well as can be expected and in a way that even the most jaded readers should be able to ~respect~ if not always appreciate.
I'm not being hard on this book, trust me. It's now the third book, along with Silence on the Wire, and Anderson's Security Engineering, I expect all newer ITSec professionals to read early and often. I don't judge a non-textbook by the accuracy or timeliness of every statement. Or the quality of the story telling or case studied. I judge these types of books by their ability to affect ~thought processes~, ~perspective~, and ~risk analysis~... and I think this book is a winner on all three counts. It is all about influencing thought, not hand-feeding PRECISE EXACTING and ultimately useless step-by-step hacks.
Solid 4/4.5 star on any scale and a 5/5 for a new set of authors. I hope the editors and publisher give them the opportunity to add about 120/150 pages and build a community. One last note, the books and resources noted within this book are good stand-up lists and should not be overlooked either. The single paragraph stories from the web or people profiles are not to be skipped over.

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Dissecting the Hackis one heck of a ride! Hackers, IT professionals, and Infosec aficionados will find a gripping story that takes the reader on a global trip through the world of computer security exploits. One half massive case study, one half technical manual, Dissecting the Hack has it all - learn all about hacking tools and techniques and how to defend your network against threats.

Yes, the security threats are real - read more about the tactics that you see executed throughout the story in the second half of the book where you will learn to recon, scan, explore, exploit and expunge with the tools and techniques shown in the story. Every hack is real and can be used by you once you have the knowledge within this book!

Utilizes actual hacking and security tools in its story- helps to familiarize a newbie with the many devices and their code
Introduces basic hacking techniques in real life context for ease of learning
Presented in the words of the hacker/security pro, effortlessly envelops the beginner in the language of the hack

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Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow Review

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(More customer reviews)Did you enjoy the previous three Stealing the Network books? Are you looking for more? Then move along now, nothing to see here.
The prior books were interesting because they introduced the reader to new ideas or new angles on old ideas, then moved on without belaboring them. If you wanted more details, there were often URLs provided. The last two tied the stories together with the intriguing Knuth character. But the folks running the project chose to switch to a new format, with fewer characters and stories, not to mention fewer authors, and fewer ways to split the profits.
After three books with the same (proven) formula, it's understandable the authors would want to try something new. Alas, it's a disaster.
Welcome to "How to Own a Shadow," aka "The SQL Injection Adventures of Pawn." Pawn is one of the new characters in this volume, and is the first StN character I hoped would get shot to death by the cops in a mini-mall parking lot. Yes, he's that irritating. Particularly after reading 40 pages about his childhood as a high-functioning autistic (or something like that), and around 100 pages of him performing SQL injection attacks. Most of which is totally unrelated to Knuth. Note to the authors: SQL injection is interesting, but if you want to write a book about it, just write a book about it. I even gave you a title, what more do you want? You can even recycle much of this book, like you recycled part of the last one here.
Oh, you noticed the real subtitle of the book, "The Chase for Knuth." First, one chases _after_ fugitives, and hunts or searches _for_ them. Not that it matters, because there's not much chasing or hunting going on in this book. There isn't much Knuth, either. We see him in the first hundred pages, which is mostly about his son analyzing poker software. That's the last we see of either of them. Because, really, this is "The Biography of Pawn." We do get 50 pages of Knuth at the end of the book, but don't get excited: it's all from the last book, added as obvious filler.
Speaking of filler, there's a 17 page advertorial thrown in for BiDiBLAH, which is commercial software by SensePost. Oddly enough, they're listed as technical advisors for the book. I'm sure it's a fine app, but the authors have forgotten about Knuth again, since it has nothing to do with the story. If it had been relevant, it might have been a less obnoxious addition.
Not everything is bad. There's a brief bit about RFID, which of course turns into how to use RFID for SQL attacks. We get to meet Knuth's supposedly dead wife, and a charming shrew she is. All in all, though, this book isn't worth reading unless you're a truly devoted fan of the series, or SQL. I'm still a fan of the previous books, and I hope the authors can recapture what made them so intriguing for their next book. I won't be buying that one until I'm sure it's not Book Two of the Pawn Saga, however.

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The best-selling Stealing the Network series reaches its climactic conclusion as law enforcement and organized crime form a high-tech web in an attempt to bring down the shadowy hacker-villain known as Knuth in the most technically sophisticated Stealing book yet.Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow is the final book in Syngress' ground breaking, best-selling, Stealing the Network series. As with previous title, How to Own a Shadow is a fictional story that demonstrates accurate, highly detailed scenarios of computer intrusions and counter-strikes. In How to Own a Thief, Knuth, the master-mind, shadowy figure from previous books, is tracked across the world and the Web by cyber adversaries with skill to match his own. Readers will be amazed at how Knuth, Law Enforcement, and Organized crime twist and torque everything from game stations, printers and fax machines to service provider class switches and routers steal, deceive, and obfuscate. From physical security to open source information gathering, Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow will entertain and educate the reader on every page. The book's companion Web site will also provide special, behind-the-scenes details and hacks for the reader to join in the chase for Knuth. The final book in the Stealing the Network series will be a must read for the 50,000 readers worldwide of the first three titles The companion Web site to the book will provide challenging scenarios from the book to allow the reader to track down Knuth Law enforcement and security professionals will gain practical, technical knowledge for apprehending the most supplicated cyber-adversaries

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IT Security Interviews Exposed: Secrets to Landing Your Next Information Security Job Review

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(More customer reviews)Information security is a hot career area and is among the strongest fields within IT for growth and opportunity. With excellent long-term career prospects, increasing cybersecurity vulnerabilities and an increase in security & privacy regulations and legislation, the demand for security professionals is significant. Even with a bright future, that does not necessarily mean that a career in information security is right for everyone. What differentiates an excellent security professional from a mediocre one is their passion for the job. With that, IT Security Interviews Exposed is a mixed bag of a book. For those that are looking for an information security spot and have the requisite passion for the job, much of the information should already be known. For someone who lacks that passion and simply wants a security job, their lack of breadth will show and the information in the book likely won't be helpful, unless they have a photographic memory to remember all of the various data points.
If you find information security challenging and either want a job in the field or are looking for a better job in the field, the book will be quite valuable. But for those looking for a hot security job, their lackings will likely show through on in interview, even with the help of this book.
As to the actual content, chapter 1 provides a good overview of how to find, interview and get a security job. The chapter contains many bits of helpful information, especially to those whose job seeking skills are deficient. A good piece of advice the author's state is that one should never pay a fee for headhunting services. There are many people that call themselves recruiters, but are nothing more than fax servers who charge for the service. The burden to pay is always on the hiring firm, and a job seeker should be extremely suspicious of anyone requesting a fee to find them a position.
I would hope that in future editions of the book, the authors expand on chapter one. The chapter itself in fact could easily me made into a book in its own right. As part of the job search process, many job searchers often do not ask themselves enough fundamental questions if they are indeed in the right place in their career. Such an approach is taken by Lee Kushner, founder and CEO of the information security recruitment firm LJ Kushner and Associates. Kushner formulated the following 7 questions that every information security job candidate should ask themselves:
1. What are my long and short term plans?
2. What are my strengths and weaknesses?
3. What skills do I need to develop?
4. Have I acquired a new skill during the past year?
5. What are my most significant career accomplishments and will I soon achieve another one?
6. Have I been promoted over the past three years?
7. What investments have I made in my own career?
The other 9 chapters of the book all have the same format; an overview of the topic, and then various questions and interviewer may pose. The reality that these topics of network and security fundamentals, firewalls, regulations, wireless, security tools, and more, are essential knowledge for a security professional. Anyone trying to go through a comprehensive information security interview and wing it by reviewing the material will likely only succeed if the interviewer is inept. Anyone attempting to mimic the questions and answers in the book in a real-world interview will immediately be found to be a sham if the interviewer deviates even slightly from the script, which should be expected.
What really separates a good candidate from a great candidate is hands-on, practical and real-world security experience. Such a candidate won't need a question and answer format to showcase themselves in an interview. Their experience should shine, and not their ability to rattle of security acronyms.
If a company is serious about hiring qualified people, the interview process should not be about short technical questions and acronym definitions. It should entail an open discussion with significant give and take. Having a candidate detail their methodology for deploying and configuring a firewall should be given more credence than their ability to define the TCP the three-way handshake.
Ultimately, the efficacy of the book is in the disposition of the reader. For the security newbie who wants a crash course in security in order to quickly land a security job, heaven help the company that would hire such a person. While one should indeed not judge a book by its cover; this book's cover and title may lead some readers to think that the book is their golden ticket to a quick landing into a great career. The breadth of information that a security professional needs to know precludes and short of cramming or quick introductions. Those with a lack of security experience attempting to use this book to hide their shortcomings will only embarrass themselves on an interview.
On the other hand, for the reader who has a background in information security who wants an update on network and security fundamentals, they will find IT Security Interviews Exposed a helpful title. The book contains a plethora of valuable information written in a clear and easy to read style. In a little over 200 pages, the book is able to provide the reader with a good review of what they know or may have forgotten. Used in such a setting by such a reader makes the book a most helpful tool for the serious security professional looking to advance their career.


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Technology professionals seeking higher-paying security jobs need to know security fundamentals to land the job-and this book will help
Divided into two parts: how to get the job and a security crash course to prepare for the job interview
Security is one of today's fastest growing IT specialties, and this book will appeal to technology professionals looking to segue to a security-focused position
Discusses creating a resume, dealing with headhunters, interviewing, making a data stream flow, classifying security threats, building a lab, building a hacker's toolkit, and documenting work
The number of information security jobs is growing at an estimated rate of 14 percent a year, and is expected to reach 2.1 million jobs by 2008

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Build Your Own Security Lab: A Field Guide for Network Testing Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll be completely honest. I went through this in about two hours, and I plan on returning it. It simply didn't have anything new for me. I was expecting it to be more along the lines of setting up a virtual network, attempting to hack the VMs, and then checking the procedures to see if you did it right.
Instead, this book covers things like how to install OSes into VMs, gives basic overviews of tools, etc. However, this is a great book if you're at the appropriate level for it. I think this makes a good follow-up to CompTIA's Security+ certification. It'll help novices get their feet wet with actual hands-on activities. I've done nearly everything in this book on my own, and that's really the only problem with it. While I didn't pay a great deal of attention to every bit of text, it seemed to be technically accurate and free from errors.
I wish I could give a more detailed review, but I thought I'd at least post this since no one has reviewed it yet. Just take your skill level into account when considering this title. If you want more advanced books, check out the Hacking Exposed series, Grey Hat Hacking, and the Penetration Tester's Open Source Toolkit.

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If your job is to design or implement IT security solutions or if you're studying for any security certification, this is the how-to guide you've been looking for. Here's how to assess your needs, gather the tools, and create a controlled environment in which you can experiment, test, and develop the solutions that work. With liberal examples from real-world scenarios, it tells you exactly how to implement a strategy to secure your systems now and in the future.
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

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Chained Exploits: Advanced Hacking Attacks from Start to Finish Review

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(More customer reviews)I looked forward to Chained Exploits (CE) by Whitaker, Evans and Voth with much anticipation as the concept is a much needed addition to the lexicon on information security. Often academic fields are severely limited by the vocabulary available to discuss issues and the "chained exploit" is sure to become a mainstay in the discourse of information security. Despite my enthusiasm for the concept, however, I was disappointed by the material presented in CE. The genius of the chained exploit is that it upends the traditional threat matrix, typically presented as:
[value of resource] x [likelihood of exploit] = [risk level]
For example, a high value resource that is unlikely to be exploited should be ranked as a low risk, as should a low value resource that is likely to be exploited. Think of this in terms of a temporary database of publically available information used to populate a user demonstration website that is wiped out every 24 hours. If that information is compromised it has no value, so even if the compromise is likely it is a low risk system. Conversely if a system that contains critical financial information is confined to a single workstation that is removed from any networking and housed in a guarded facility it too is a low risk system (since the likelihood of compromise is low).
Unfortunately many auditors make risk assessments based on circumstances in a vacuum. This is where the concept of "chained exploits" becomes so valuable. For instance, if a vulnerability were discovered in a local binary accessible to users that allows privilege escalation, but the local binary exists on a system that has no users (other than administrators who already have root privileges) it is often considered a low risk. Many times patches for these sorts of vulnerabilities are not installed because the patch could introduce instability and would not be considered worthy of the expense given the low risk. Similarly a vulnerability could be discovered in a web service that when exploited could allow a remote attacker to gain an unprivileged local account that, say, only had access to read and write to the /tmp directory. This could also be considered a low risk since such limited access wouldn't present any threat to the system. However, if you "chained exploits" for the two vulnerabilities you suddenly have a condition where a remote attacker can gain a local account and elevate their privilege! This contravenes the low risk ranking of the individual vulnerabilities. When combined they suddenly become a very high risk to the system.
It was this sort of "chain" that I hoped CE would explore. Instead the material presented in the book consisted of context to several high risk vulnerabilities to explain why they might be used in tandem. For instance, the book would propose a scenario where a remote attacker installed a backdoor rootkit on a corporate network workstation then used that workstation to access the central database using default system administrator credentials. Each of the conditions used in these "chains" are extremely high risk already, and thus the book doesn't present any new material for seasoned information security professionals to consider.
For a novice this book is a great resource. It is full of the sorts of horror stories that professionals are all too familiar with, but could potentially be eye opening for a neophyte or someone unfamiliar with computer security. At the very least it is a page turning exploration of very real and often under appreciated risks to enterprises.
I was disappointed that the book didn't raise the level of discourse in the information security field but I suspect that wasn't the point of Chained Exploits. Instead it reads like a greatest hits sequence prepared by veteran penetration testers. It makes for interesting reading, but it isn't particularly informative. Don't look for any new 0 day exploits (or even a discussion of how to find such flaws). Instead the book contains a litany of well known routes to system compromise and illustrative narratives that tie them together in real world scenarios.

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The complete guide to today's hard-to-defend chained attacks: performing them and preventing themNowadays, it's rare for malicious hackers to rely on just one exploit or tool; instead, they use "chained" exploits that integrate multiple forms of attack to achieve their goals. Chained exploits are far more complex and far more difficult to defend. Few security or hacking books cover them well and most don't cover them at all. Now there's a book that brings together start-to-finish information about today's most widespread chained exploits–both how to perform them and how to prevent them. Chained Exploits demonstrates this advanced hacking attack technique through detailed examples that reflect real-world attack strategies, use today's most common attack tools, and focus on actual high-value targets, including credit card and healthcare data. Relentlessly thorough and realistic, this book covers the full spectrum of attack avenues, from wireless networks to physical access and social engineering. Writing for security, network, and other IT professionals, the authors take you through each attack, one step at a time, and then introduce today's most effective countermeasures— both technical and human. Coverage includes:Constructing convincing new phishing attacksDiscovering which sites other Web users are visitingWreaking havoc on IT security via wireless networksDisrupting competitors' Web sitesPerforming–and preventing–corporate espionageDestroying secure filesGaining access to private healthcare recordsAttacking the viewers of social networking pagesCreating entirely new exploitsand moreAndrew Whitaker, Director of Enterprise InfoSec and Networking for Training Camp, has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek. He coauthored Penetration Testing and Network Defense. Andrew was a winner of EC Council's Instructor of Excellence Award.Keatron Evans is President and Chief Security Consultant of Blink Digital Security, LLC, a trainer for Training Camp, and winner of EC Council's Instructor of Excellence Award. Jack B. Voth specializes in penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and perimeter security. He co-owns The Client Server, Inc., and teaches for Training Camp throughout the United States and abroad.informit.com/awCover photograph © Corbis /Jupiter Images$49.99 US $59.99 CANADA

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Stealing the Network: The Complete Series Collector's Edition, Final Chapter, and DVD Review

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(More customer reviews)I have just finished a marathon session of reading "Stealing the Network: The Complete Series Collector's Edition" and I have a very conditional review of it: It's a must-have if you don't already own the previous editions of these guilty pleasures. If you are already a fan, however, prepare to be let-down by the compilation.
The stories of the Stealing the Network series entertain in the same way that "war stories" from fellow hackers and security professionals often keeps a more intimate audience's interest: by mixing intriguing situations with juicy technical detail that can serve as a useful take-away. No one will accuse these books of containing fine literature, but that's not really the point. The stories are well written enough to keep you wanting to know what will happen next, while the technical information is as accurate as you're likely to see in fiction. Segments involving hacking are written and illustrated with enough attention to detail and length to serve as introductory educational tutorials for the topics (including web application hacking, reverse engineering, and wireless security). Most of these scenarios are believable as parts of larger-scale operations.
The first book of the series consists of independent short-stories based around characters of the authors' creation. The other three books in the compilation tell an over-arching story of a larger "operation", which involves many characters and their independent stories. The second book, "How to Own a Continent", is probably my favorite, along with the first ("How to Own a Box"), for keeping things simple, technical, and focusing on the individual stories. The third book, "How to Own an Identity" suffers from having worse editing then the rest of the series, and may lose some readers' interest. The fourth book ("How to Own a Shadow") reads a lot better, and wraps the overall story up well, however it focuses only on a relative handful of the series' characters.
As a compilation, this Collector's Edition leaves much to be desired. While the original description for this edition described the books contained within as being "author-annotated", this is not the case. The individual books are reproduced exactly as they were in their original editions, with no additional commentary from the authors, and with all the same problems as the originals. For example, screenshots in the first chapter of the first book are the same illegible black squares that were in the original edition of the book published 7 years ago. The annotations along with other features described in the original description (emails, photographs) that would provide a lot of interesting background material, would have made this compilation a must-buy.
The extra content that you are receiving is a brief new forward by Jeff Moss, and a "Final Chapter" by Ryan Russell. The new chapter is about 20 pages long, and gives the story-line a proper ending. I won't ruin anything about it, but I will say that I enjoyed it. Syngress has promised in the description of the book to make this content available separately in electronic form in six months.
The included DVD is described on the back-cover copy as being "full" of behind-the-scenes stories. In reality, you will only find 20 minutes of interviews with a few of the authors. I enjoyed these interviews, however, much like the print companion, I felt like more should have been done. Also beware that there are problems with the audio on the DVD. When played on my MacBook, there was noticeable crackling/popping in the audio of the DVD. The same noise was present, but less noticeable when played through a stand-alone DVD player through a television.
To summarize, I like the books, and find them as entertaining as I did when they were originally published, and I like the new hardcover binding. I do think that it is unfortunate that the "Stealing the Network: The Complete Series Collector's Edition" does not meet its potential to be more than the sum of its parts. There seems to have been intent at some point to add value to the set, but it wound up simply being a rough concatenation of the individual books.
If you haven't read these books, then I very much recommend picking up this set. It's 1,000 pages of interesting stories and technical material. If you already have the previous editions of the Stealing the Network Series, however, you might find it hard to justify paying for them again.

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"Stealing the Network: How to Own the Box is a unique book in the fiction department. It combines stories that are fictional, with technology that is real. While none of the stories have happened, there is no reason why they could not. You could argue it provides a road map for criminal hackers, but I say it does something else: it provides a glimpse into the creative minds of some of today's best hackers, and even the best hackers will tell you that the game is a mental one." - from the Foreword to the first Stealing the Network book, How to Own the Box, Jeff Moss, Founder & Director, Black Hat, Inc. and Founder of DEFCON

For the very first time the complete Stealing the Network epic is available in an enormous, over 1000 page volume complete with the final chapter of the saga and a DVD filled with behind the scenes video footage!

These groundbreaking books created a fictional world of hacker superheroes and villains based on real world technology, tools, and tactics. It is almost as if the authors peered into the future as many of the techniques and scenarios in these books have come to pass.

This book contains all of the material from each of the four books in the Stealing the Network series.

All of the stories and tech from:


How to Own the Box

How to Own a Continent

How to Own an Identity

How to Own a Shadow

Plus:


Finally - find out how the story ends! The final chapter is here!

A DVD full of behind the scenes stories and insider info about the making of these cult classics!
* Now for the first time the entire series is one 1000+ page book* The DVD contains 20 minutes of behind the scenes footage* Readers will finally learn the fate of "Knuth" in the much anticipated Final Chapter

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Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets and Solutions, Sixth Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Hardly a week goes by that CNN does not report a high-profile Web site being defiled or an e-commerce site being penetrated. While most people know why these incidents occurred, Hacking Exposed explains how they occurred and, more important, how to prevent them from occurring.
The cover of Hacking Exposed announces that "Network security is Y2K without the deadline." That alarmist statement, however, is the only hype in the book. The work is packed with real-world examples and links to tools needed to assess the security of any type of client/server and Web system. As they detail the myriad vulnerabilities in different types of systems, the authors provide countermeasures for each of them.
Well organized, the book progresses in an orderly fashion. It methodically goes through the process of exploiting a target to penetrate a system--from identification and enumeration to actual penetration. The authors provide detailed instructions and explanations for many security features and flaws in Unix, Linux, Windows, NetWare, routers, firewalls, and more. Topics covered include state-of-the-art computer and network penetration, as viewed by both the attacker and the defender; remote system identification; vulnerability identification; war dialers; firewall circumvention; and denial-of-service attacks. An appendix explores the security characteristics of Windows 2000.
Some may argue that books such as this one only serve to motivate and educate hackers. The truth is that hackers are already aware of the book's contents. This book is designed for system administrators and managers who need to know their systems' risks and vulnerabilities and how to address them. When they are done with this book, system administrators and managers will be familiar with such critical topics as back channels, port redirection, banner grabbing, and buffer overflows. Hacking Exposed is a must-read for anyone who wants to know what is really happening on their network....

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Cyberpower and National Security (National Defense University) Review

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(More customer reviews)Last week at the InfowarCon Dan Kuehl handed me a copy of "Cyberpower and National Security." This has been a topic Dan has been exploring in some detail for quite a while. I first met Dan in 1996 when I was a student at the USMC Command and Staff College. Dan was already writing and exploring concepts related to cyber power and information warfare, and his deep focus and insights into this still emerging mission area continues today.
About the book, it is big. Not just in pages (it weighs in at 642 pages). It is big in info. Chapters are written by some of the greatest thinkers of the Cyber War mission area. Folks like Dan Kuehl, Edward Skoudis, Greg Rattray, Martin Libicki, Irving Lachow, Tim Thomas, Tom Wingfield and of course the editors Franklin Kramer, Stuart Starr and Larry Wentz. These and the other contributors are all well respected thought leaders and each provide insights I believe will be of use to today's strategic planners.
As for the content, it starts with a great foundation and overview of what is meant by Cyberspace (building on Dan Kuelh's well articulated definition) and also spells out key issues that policy makers and national security strategists must tackle. It then spells out changes in cyberspace including projections into the near future, and ends with an analysis of the impact of all these changes- including the considerations we must think through in our strategic deliberations.
I now consider this book a critical foundational work that should be studied by anyone who seeks to dialog on modern national security issues. This book does for the strategic domain what the Common Audit Guidelines did for the operational cyber domain. Cyberpower and National Security (National Defense University)

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The cyber domain is undergoing extraordinary changes that present both exceptional opportunities to and major challenges for users of cyberspace. The challenges arise from the malevolent actors who use cyberspace and the many security vulnerabilities that plague this sphere. Exploiting opportunities and overcoming challenges will require a balanced body of knowledge on the cyber domain. Cyberpower and National Security assembles a group of experts and discusses pertinent issues in five areas.The first section provides a broad foundation and overview of the subject by identifying key policy issues, establishing a common vocabulary, and proposing an initial version of a theory of cyberpower. The second section identifies and explores possible changes in cyberspace over the next fifteen years by assessing cyber infrastructure and security challenges. The third section analyzes the potential impact of changes in cyberspace on the military and informational levers of power. The fourth section addresses the extent to which changes in cyberspace serve to empower key entities such as transnational criminals, terrorists, and nation-states. The final section examines key institutional factors, which include issues concerning governance, legal dimensions, critical infrastructure protection, and organization.Cyberpower and National Security frames the key issues concerned and identifies the important questions involved in building the human capacity to address cyber issues, balancing civil liberties with national security considerations, and developing the international partnerships needed to address cyber challenges. With more than two dozen contributors, Cyberpower and National Security covers it all.

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Googling Security: How Much Does Google Know About You? Review

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(More customer reviews)It has been suggested that if one was somehow able to change history so that aspirin had never been discovered until now, it would have died in the lab and stand no chance of FDA approval. In a report from the Manhattan Institute, they write that no modern drug development organization would touch it. Similarly, if we knew the power that Google would have in 2008 with its ability to aggregate and correlate personal data, it is arguable that various regulatory and privacy bodies would never allow it to exist given the extensive privacy issues.
In a fascinating and eye-opening new book Googling Security: How Much Does Google Know About You?, author Greg Conti explores the many security risks around Google and other search engines. Part of the problem is that in the rush to get content onto the web, organizations often give short shrift to the security and privacy of their data. At the individual level, those who make use of the innumerable and ever expanding amount of Google free services can end up paying for those services with their personal information being compromised, or shared in ways they would not truly approve of; but implicitly do so via their acceptance of the Google Terms of Service.
While the book focuses specifically on Google, the security issues detailed are just as relevant to Yahoo, MSN, AOL, Ask and the more than 50 other search engines.
Until now, Google and security have often not been used together. As an example, my friend and SEO guru Shimon Sandler has a blog around search engine optimization (SEO). In the over three years that his blog has been around, my recent post on The Need for Security in SEO was the first on topic of SEO security. Similar SEO blogs also have a very low number (and often no) articles on SEO and security. Sandler notes that when he mentions privacy issues around search to his clients, it is often the first time they have thought of it.
The book opens with the observation that Google's business model is built on the prospect of providing its services for free. From the individual user's perspective, this is a model that they can live with. But the inherent risk is that the services really are not completely free; they come at the cost of the loss of control of one's personal information that they share with Google.
The book lists over 50 Google services and applications which collect personal information. From mail, alerts, blogging, news, desktop, images, maps, groups, video and more. People are placing a great deal of trust into Google as each time they use a Google service, they are trusting the organization to safeguard their personal information. In chapter 5, the book lists over 20 stated uses and advantages of Google Groups, and the possible information disclosure risks of each.
In the books 10 chapters, the author provides a systematic overview of how Google gets your personal data and what it does with it. In chapter 3, the book details how disparate pieces of data can be aggregated and mined to create extremely detailed user profiles. These profiles are invaluable to advertisers who will pay Google dearly for such meticulous user data. This level of personal data aggregation was impossible to obtain just a few years ago, given the lack of computing power, combined with the single point of user data. The book notes that this level of personalization, while golden to advertisers, is a privacy anathema.
Chapter 6 is particularly interesting in that it details the risks of using Google Maps. Conti explains that the privacy issue via the use of Google Maps is that it combines disclosure risks of search and connects it to mapping. You are now sharing geographic locations and the associated interactions. By clicking on a link in a Google map, the user discloses and strengthens the link between the search they performed and what they deemed as important in the result. By aggregating source IP addresses and destinations searches, Google can easily ascertain confidential data.
After detailing over 250 pages of the risks of Google and related services, Chapter 9 is about countermeasures. Short of simply not using the services, the book notes that there is no clear solution for protecting yourself and company from web-based information disclosure. Nonetheless, the chapter lists a number of things that can be done to reduce the threat. Some are easier, some are harder; but they can ultimately add up to a significant layer of protection. Chapter 9 details 11 specific steps that help users appreciate the magnitude of their disclosures and make informed decisions about which search services to use.
Googling Security: How Much Does Google Know About You? is an important book given that far too many people do not realize how much personal information they are disclosing on a daily basis. An important point that the book makes is that small information disclosures are not truly small when they are aggregated over the course of years. Advances in data mining and artificial intelligence are magnifying the importance of the threat, all under the guise of improving the end-user experience. The book emphasizes the need to evaluate the short-term computing gains with the long-term privacy losses.
The final chapter notes that apathy is the enemy. As a user becomes aware of the magnitude of the threat, they will see it grow every day. But the next step is to take action. Be it with technical countermeasures, taking your business where privacy is better supported, or petitioning lawmakers.
As to the underlying question, "how much does Google know about you?", the answer is that it is a colossal amount, far more than most people realize. For anyone who uses the Internet, Googling Security should be on their list of required reading. The risks that Google and other search engines present are of great consequence and can't be overlooked. If not, privacy could slowly be a thing of the past.


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What Does Google Know about You? And Who Are They Telling?When you use Google's "free" services, you pay, big time–with personal information about yourself. Google is making a fortune on what it knows about you…and you may be shocked by just how much Google does know. Googling Security is the first book to reveal how Google's vast information stockpiles could be used against you or your business–and what you can do to protect yourself.Unlike other books on Google hacking, this book covers information you disclose when using all of Google's top applications, not just what savvy users can retrieve via Google's search results. West Point computer science professor Greg Conti reveals the privacy implications of Gmail, Google Maps, Google Talk, Google Groups, Google Alerts, Google's new mobile applications, and more. Drawing on his own advanced security research, Conti shows how Google's databases can be used by others with bad intent, even if Google succeeds in its pledge of "don't be evil."Uncover the trail of informational "bread crumbs" you leave when you use Google search

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Mobile Locksmith Company Review

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(More customer reviews)This book was well organized and provided some thought provoking advice. The book was very thorough and covered every critical aspect to writing an effective business plan. Some of the financial templates were a little hard to use but it's still better than spending $500 on accounting software. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

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Upstart Business Consulting Group creates comprehensive business plan kits for a variety of businesses and industries. When you purchase one of our business plan kits, you will have access to the tools that will allow you to be an entrepreneur. We only create business plan kits for businesses that can capitalize on current trends and consumer demand. All businesses we cover require an initial start-up capital investment of $1,000 to $10,000. Although the required start-up capital is relatively small, you will have the potential for substantial cash flow and a high return on investment. The format of the business plan kits are modeled after business plans that have been used in successful start-up companies. These business plan kits are for those individuals who want a better work/life balance, want the flexibility, pride, and fulfillment that comes with being an entrepreneur, and want to earn extra income.

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Guide to Computer Forensics and Investigations Review

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(More customer reviews)I use the book in class. It is an excellent book. In particular I liked its explanation of the Master File Table in Windows NTFS. It is the first explanation that I actually understood.


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Master the skills necessary to launch and complete a successful computer investigation with the updated fourth edition of this popular book, GUIDE TO COMPUTER FORENSICS AND INVESTIGATIONS. This resource guides readers through conducting a high-tech investigation, from acquiring digital evidence to reporting its findings. Updated coverage includes new software and technologies as well as up-to-date reference sections, and content includes how to set up a forensics lab, how to acquire the proper and necessary tools, and how to conduct the investigation and subsequent digital analysis. It is appropriate for students new to the field, or as a refresher and technology update for professionals in law enforcement, investigations, or computer security. The book features free downloads of the latest forensic software, so readers can become familiar with the tools of the trade.

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The Myths of Security: What the Computer Security Industry Doesn't Want You to Know Review

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(More customer reviews)Let me start by saying I usually like John Viega's books. I rated Building Secure Software 5 stars back in 2005 and 19 Deadly Sins of Software Security 4 stars in 2006. However, I must not be the target audience for this book, and I can't imagine who really would be. The book mainly addresses consumer concerns and largely avoids the enterprise. However, if most consumers think "antivirus" when they think "security," why would they bother reading The Myths of Security (TMOS)?
TMOS is strongest when Viega talks about the antivirus (or antimalware, or endpoint protection, or whatever host-centric security mechanism you choose) industry. I didn't find anything to be particularly "myth-shattering," however. I have to agree with two of the previous reviewers. Many of the "chapters" in this book could be blog posts. The longer chapters could be longer blog posts. The lack of a unifying theme really puts TMOS at a disadvantage compared to well-crafted books. I was not a huge fan of The New School of Information Security or Geekonomics (both 4 stars), but those two titles are better than TMOS.
If you want to read books that will really help you think properly about digital security, the two must-reads are still Secrets and Lies by Bruce Schneier and Security Engineering, 2nd Ed by Ross Anderson. I would avoid Bruce's sequel, Beyond Fear -- it's ok, but he muddles a few concepts. (Heresy, I know!) I haven't read Schneier on Security, but I imagine it is good given the overall quality of his blog postings.
If you want to shatter some serious myths, spend time writing a book on the "80% myth," which is stated in a variety of ways by anyone who is trying to demonstrate that insider threats are the worst problem facing digital security. If you're going to pretend to debunk open source security, why not back it up with some numbers? Studies have been published recently, and original research and results would be welcome. How about demonstrating that user awareness training wastes money, because enough marks fall prey anyway? I'd also like to see research showing that frequent password changes are worse for security, not better. Wrap all of that in a coherent manner with substantial chapters and you have a real TMOS book.

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If you think computer security has improved in recent years, The Myths of Security will shake you out of your complacency. Longtime security professional John Viega, formerly Chief Security Architect at McAfee, reports on the sorry state of the industry, and offers concrete suggestions for professionals and individuals confronting the issue. Why is security so bad? With many more people online than just a few years ago, there are more attackers -- and they're truly motivated. Attacks are sophisticated, subtle, and harder to detect than ever. But, as Viega notes, few people take the time to understand the situation and protect themselves accordingly. This book tells you:



Why it's easier for bad guys to "own" your computer than you think
Why anti-virus software doesn't work well -- and one simple way to fix it
Whether Apple OS X is more secure than Windows
What Windows needs to do better
How to make strong authentication pervasive
Why patch management is so bad
Whether there's anything you can do about identity theft
Five easy steps for fixing application security, and more

Provocative, insightful, and always controversial, The Myths of Security not only addresses IT professionals who deal with security issues, but also speaks to Mac and PC users who spend time online.

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Official Certified Ethical Hacker Review Guide Review

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(More customer reviews)by far one of the better titles from Cengage (official curriculum vendor) a nice light read more like an exam cram style book. I recommend reading this through to understand the topics, the Read the Sybex CEH book by Kimberly Graves, and hit this one more time and review bluetooth and voip attacks using some simple google searches and you should be pretty well prepared to tackle this exam.

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Get ready for the latest Certified Ethical Hacker exam with the only book authorized by the creators of the certification, EC-Council!This book covers all of the various areas of the very challenging Certified Ethical Hacker exam, and includes hundreds of review questions in addition to refresher coverage of the information needed to successfully become a Certified Ethical Hacker.Including helpful at-a-glance quick reference boxes and tables, Exam Essentials summaries, review questions and answers, tutorial information and more, this resource is at once succinct and comprehensive.Not just an exam preparation tool, this book helps prepare future Certified Ethical Hackers to proactively protect their organization's systems from malicious hackers. It strengthens readers' knowledge that will help them successfully assess and analyze computer system weaknesses and vulnerabilities - so they can most effectively safeguard the organization's information and assets.This is the ideal resource for anyone looking to refresh their skills in this area, learn more about ethical hacking, or successfully pass the certification exam and become a Certified Ethical Hacker.

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Hacking: The Next Generation (Animal Guide) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm always skeptical about books that propose to cover such a vast spectrum of subjects, the book in question however does a wonderful job at explaining in plain english what is happening behind an attack, it unveils the possible motives and end result, and I personally found it a superb manuscript on what is happening today in the fields of hacking and social engineering.
On a more technical side it covers XSS attacks and blended exploits, again in plain english. Though the authors also throw some code in there to keep the techiest of us entertained, personally I found the inclusion of code somewhat unnecessary. 'Plain english' would suffice especially because I found that this would otherwise be the perfect book to hand to someone less techy who wants to know what is happening out there in the wild and to some extent what they need to look out for if they intend to be security conscious. Could they ignore the code? sure! will they? depends on the individual and his/her aversion to programming. It still keeps its five stars though, I cant fault a book for having too much information. The book also covers phishing attacks, that chapter was a very worth wile read. I hold no interest or curiosity in phishing attacks and after reading it I was surprised on what I had learned.
The chapters on social engineering and information gathering were very interesting as well. The authors made a clear effort to mention current online tools that attackers can use to acquire information on a target (may that be a person or a corporate entity) and go into deeper detail on how such an attack can develop into face to face contact with a target. The way the book is written makes it feel like a story, like one attack unfolds into another and that is really why this book is such good fun to read.
If there's something I can fault in this book its really its life span. You have to get it now for it to matter. In 2 years time all this will be old, stale news and at the speed things change in the IT/IS world its really quite inevitable. Social engineering will always be social engineering but the tools used to gather information will surely change.

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With the advent of rich Internet applications, the explosion of social media, and the increased use of powerful cloud computing infrastructures, a new generation of attackers has added cunning new techniques to its arsenal. For anyone involved in defending an application or a network of systems, Hacking: The Next Generation is one of the few books to identify a variety of emerging attack vectors. You'll not only find valuable information on new hacks that attempt to exploit technical flaws, you'll also learn how attackers take advantage of individuals via social networking sites, and abuse vulnerabilities in wireless technologies and cloud infrastructures. Written by seasoned Internet security professionals, this book helps you understand the motives and psychology of hackers behind these attacks, enabling you to better prepare and defend against them.



Learn how "inside out" techniques can poke holes into protected networks
Understand the new wave of "blended threats" that take advantage of multiple application vulnerabilities to steal corporate data
Recognize weaknesses in today's powerful cloud infrastructures and how they can be exploited
Prevent attacks against the mobile workforce and their devices containing valuable data
Be aware of attacks via social networking sites to obtain confidential information from executives and their assistants
Get case studies that show how several layers of vulnerabilities can be used to compromise multinational corporations

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