User Authentication Principles, Theory and Practice (Architecture First) [Kindle Edition]

Yaacov Apelbaum (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A detailed account of user authentication principles including
theory, best practices, recommendations and tools.

If you are a developer, information security analyst or IT manager and you are looking for a more secure way to manage computer accounts on host and off-host systems, then this guide will help you understand the theory and practices governing the creation and maintenance of user accounts. It covers a wide range of topics such as Authentication, Challenge-Response, Biometric Devices, Account and Password Policies, and Password Storage Techniques.

In addition to best practices, this guide also provides practical steps and procedures that could be used in day-to-day user account management. A free password and account management tool (the Password Vault) is provided to help you test, generate, manage and securely store strong passwords from the convenience of your desktop.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 705 KB
• Print Length: 208 pages
• Publisher: Technology Press; 1 edition (April 9, 2008)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001M5TB6G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #664,828 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great addition to your security library, December 3, 2008

By 

Philo (Florida, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: User Authentication Principles, Theory and Practice (Architecture First) (Kindle Edition)

A great book on authentication! The book will educate you on more aspects of authentication than you ever thought were possible. As a security professional, I found the author's writing style to be thorough and even entertaining, a clear sign of writing by a true expert on the subject. Passwords, tokens, biometrics and various authentication protocols are all described and analyzed in great detail, in plain English and with multiple diagrams.

A chapter on passwords contains several creative ideas to make this ubiquitous form of authentication more effective, more secure and more usable. It also answers some interesting password questions such as When does it make no sense to enforce a complex non-dictionary password? How random is a random password from a dictionary? Why is a bank PIN of four digits secure enough for the job? When it is better to write a password down? Read the book and you will discover the answers!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterful writing. An in-depth treatment of the subject, December 3, 2008

By 

Marley George (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: User Authentication Principles, Theory and Practice (Architecture First) (Kindle Edition)

Apelbaum's clear explanations of authentication methods and their underlying technologies as well as how they evolved are clear and easy to understand. The author goes beyond explaining the mathematics behind the protocols by also showing how assumptions can lead to exposures. Apelbaum provides many excellent examples for security misconceptions. His treatment of the people side of authentication techniques adds to his real-world approach. Each chapter is filled with facts that you may not have considered and is backed up with mathematical or technical underpinnings. The book completely covers authentication and will get anyone quickly up-to-speed on the basics and many of the finer points of the subject. This book is especially important as a resource to anyone who is involved in financial systems because the material is directly applicable to requirements set forth in PCI and FFIEC. Essential reading for anyone who develops or manages security in a web- or e-commerce environment because of the dependencies upon the technologies and methods that are discussed. IT security specialists will also find this book to be an invaluable resource, especially the parts that cover password management, social engineering and practical applications of authentication.