Hack Proofing Your Network: Internet Tradecraft

I was really pleased reading this book to find that it is filled with actual techniques that can be used to defeat hackers, and not just filled with hype about the dangers of cyber space. The authors are expert hackers, and the insight they provide into how real world attacks work is pretty amazing.

I just finished reading Hack Proofing Your Network, and I found the information to be invaluable. The book is written by an all star team of hackers, and those of us responsible for protecting systems from attacks had better undersand the techniques used by intruders. The book provides insight into the various types of hacks and provides real solutions for defending against them. I'll bet Microsoft ordered a few copies for their library this week.

I thought this was really good and well written. I thought it would be a little more "sexy" than it is (you know, more stories of hacking and more about these characters), but realized that what makes it a useful book is the practical approach it takes.There's something here for everyone, but it will appeal to intermediate folks the most I think.

This book was recommended to me by a friend and I bought it despite having many reservations about the concept of a book on hacking. The whole thing honestly made me a little uneasy. I'm very familiar with all of the techniques covered in the book (though nowhere near as proficient with them as the authors), and I was concerned that these techniques would be presented in a way that might reflect poortly on security professionals who are educated in the art of hacking (as all good ones should be). I was pleasantly surprised to see that not only were the techniques covered in great detail, but they were presented in a manner that is of incredible value to professionals who are responsible for protecting against attacks.

I'm an experienced system administrator with a very strong background in security, and I was honestly on the fence with regards to full disclosure prior to reading this book. I knew it was necessary for me to know everything to protect my systems, but I was terrified by the thought of the uninitiated being able to by a book or surf the web and then hack my network. But afer reading this book, I really don't think there is any other way. The authors repsonsibly and accurately detail the techniques and tools used to hack into systems, always with an eye towards preventing such catastrophies.