Essential Computer Security: Everyone’s Guide to Email, Internet, and Wireless Security

I found this book easy to read and have useful information about setting up Windows XP security.
Rating: 5 / 5

‘Essential Computer Security: Everyone’s Guide to Email, Internet, and Wireless Security’ is exactly what it says it is, a guide for admins and IT people to learn to implement better security practices in their everyday lives on the job. With 250+ pages of material, this is a standard Syngress book that you will no doubt be familiar with if you have read their stuff before. Filled with niche particulars that expect the reader to have a background with the subject matter, Syngress releases truly are no fluff, just stuff as they set their sites on the nerdspeak content and not a pretty package. If you want to read up on computer security and learn how to keep your corporate infrastructure safer and more secure, take a look at this release.

**** RECOMMENDED
Rating: 4 / 5

When Tony asked me to write the foreword for this book, I considered it an great honor. We both share the strong belief that knowledge is a more powerful tool than any firewall, antivirus program or intrusion detection system could ever hope to be. That said, not all of us have the luxury of security guru at our fingertips to show us the ropes. This means that you sometimes need to take it upon yourself to understand and learn what needs to be done to keep your computer and network safe and secure. That is what this book was engineered to do, without any confusing jargon or talking down to the reader. Get it and read it and help make the Internet a more secure and safer place for all of us to enjoy.

Douglas Schweitzer, Sc.D.
Rating: 5 / 5

Driving on the information highway, users face threats ranging from worms to scams. The Essential Computer Security: Everyone’s Guide to Email, Internet, and Wireless Security can serve as the owner’s manual for anyone serious about ensuring the security of their computer and the data contained therein. Many victims of identity theft could undoubtedly have protected themselves had they followed the basic rules outlined in the book.

Essential Computer Security does not attempt to be an encyclopedic work covering the esoteric realms of computer security. Rather, author Tony Bradley takes a “just the facts” approach and covers the essentials, focusing on the two applications average consumers use most: e-mail and the Internet.

In 12 lucid, easy-to-read chapters, Bradley covers all of the necessary topics end-users need to understand, from the basics of Microsoft Windows security to passwords, patching, malware, wireless, e-mail security, and more.

The text does have a technical angle for readers who want that level of detail.

Too few IT security books are written for the typical user. This work lives up to its title and fills an important need.

Rating: 5 / 5

If you have ever wished that your company’s IT staff had more time to

help you understand why you should not open email from people you do

not know or how an IP address relates to the DNS, this book is for

you. If you have ever wanted a personal network security consultant

always on-call to explain the workings of daily network security

issues, this book will meet that need at a fraction of a percentage of

the cost.

The author sketches the general framework of a both wired and wireless

networks. He then discusses in detail the risks associated with each

application that uses those networks — email, web browser, etc. In

each case, his explanations are well-worded such that, by the end of

any section, the reader feels like they grok the philosophy of

security and has always known what the author just taught them. He

does not obfuscate the content of the book in unexplained acronyms and

unnecessary details but keeps his task of empowering the average user

always in view.

Aside from covering the basics of network dynamics and applications

used by the average internet user, the book offers two other boons for

small and medium business users. For those who are unsure what a

computer firewall is and how to deploy one effectively, the author

offers an in-depth discussion of the subject via a case study. In

addition, for those who are frustrated with Windows security lapses,

another chapter offers a comprehensive discussion of alternatives to

Windows applications and offers counsel on how to migrate to Linux.

Unlike other books, the author does not talk down to the reader but

shares his extensive knowledge as a co-labourer in the reader’s

efforts. I wish I could have given this book to users when I worked

for a major university — but then I would have been out of a job!

Simply put: This is one of the best computer security books for users

that I have seen for several years.
Rating: 5 / 5