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Computer Security for the Home and Small Office
 
 
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Computer Security for the Home and Small Office (Paperback)

by Thomas C. Greene (Author)
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: APress (15 Mar 2004)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1590593162
  • ISBN-13: 978-1590593165
  • Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 18 x 2.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 569,318 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Product Description

Computer Security for the Home and Small Office" addresses the long-neglected security needs of everyday users in the home, company workstation, and SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) categories, with emphasis on system hardening, eliminating malware, user and Internet privacy, encryption, and data hygiene. The book offers comprehensive tutorials for protecting privacy, preventing system attacks and, most important, avoiding difficulties from buggy programs and software laced with hidden functions and networking capabilities. Furthermore, the book is packed with information about open-source products with related security strategies for Windows users. One recurrent strategy: replacing insecure closed-source applications and utilities with safer open-source alternatives, thereby eliminating numerous routes to system exploitation and privacy invasion. Also included is plenty of guidance for Linux users, and a full chapter weighing the advantages and disadvantages of migrating to Linux--a step that can greatly simplify computer security, even for the novice user. Read a review from the Sydney Morning Herald Check out other great reviews from About.com and the Golden Triangle PC Club


From the Author

Dear Reader,
The media bring us daily reports of malicious hacking, virus and worm outbreaks, spyware, privacy invasion, identity theft, and commercial profiling via the Internet. We hear much about these threats, yet we're rarely told how realistic each one is, or offered much help in avoiding them. Books covering computer security tend to fall into two categories: technical manuals that can't be deciphered without substantial prior knowledge, and books for users offering a few simplistic bromides. What's long been lacking is a computer security manual that's understandable to the average user, yet truly comprehensive. So I decided to write one.

In this book you'll find patient, step-by-step tutorials for protecting your privacy, surfing the Web anonymously, and hardening your Windows or Linux system against attacks from outside, and, more importantly, from within -- from software that's full of bugs or laced with hidden functions and secret networking capabilities. There is also a good deal of background material that will demystify computer security and help you to become a better judge of the threats you need to worry about, and the ones you can safely dismiss. It is neither difficult nor expensive to harden a computer system or small office network. Nor is it difficult to frustrate malicious hackers, virus writers and privacy invaders. Computer security is not a black art. You can learn it, and you will.

Thomas C. Greene

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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars Too much rant off topic and too thin on specifics, 11 Dec 2004
The book contains duplicated material. All of Appendix B, over 50 pages long is repeated from material presented earlier in the book. There are lots of rants about security in general, rather than about specifics. For example, in chapter 7 there is a section on RFID technology. What this has to do about security for the home or small office computer is unclear. While the book does contain useful information, it is incomplete. For example how to safely configure a small network of computers, or recommendations to rename the Administrator and Guest accounts on Windows computers. It does not properly spell out what the risks are, but states that such and such is unsafe and best disabled. Sure, if you want absolute security, then disable all services and don't connect to the Internet.
The book would be best by starting off by configuring a computer (Linux or Windows) with minimal services, and then adding services one by one stating what the risks are and how to minimise the threat, ending up with the more risky such as P2P and Internet Chat. Too often we are left with disable this service unless you need it. Poor advice for an ordinary person who is left not knowing whether he needs the service or not. The book is biased to Open Source (nothing wrong in that), but fails to mention that many Internet services are only available from a Windows computer using Internet Explorer (e.g. Government Gateway site).
The front cover of the book states it is the "Experts Voice", which clearly the author is not. Although in all fairness to Thomas C. Green he only claims he is a security specialist not an expert.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good and useful but shows the authors background, 11 Oct 2004
By John Langford (berks United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
For the novice user this book gives a good understanding what should and should not be working on a home or small office PC running Windows or Linux. For the expert a good reminder.
The first two chapters (about 80 pages) should be compulsory reading to ALL users. There is a lack of geek terminology, and where these words are used, are explained well.
For me this book is let down on two points.
The first; and minor; is the US centric nature of the writings with constant reference to the US government and the FBI. There is a world outside the USA, but then again this is a US publication.
The second, and in my opinion more serious is held in the last chapter where the author opens up and states his real feelings about Microsoft, and the benefits of Open Source. Interesting reading but I don't think this is the right place.

In summary - worth the read, follow the guidelines in the first two chapters and Appendix B. Enjoy the rantings of an open source fan.

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