Computer Security for the Home and Small Office [Paperback]

Thomas C. Greene (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 11, 2004 | ISBN-10: 1590593162 | ISBN-13: 978-1590593165

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews:

"Thomas Greene provides the home and SOHO user, and the work-at-home corporate user, a thorough, realistic assessment of the security and privacy risks they face, to instruct them in making their machines and networks unattractive targets for attack and to limit the damage an intrusion or other security snafu can cause. It is a general security and privacy handbook primarily for Window users, but ... accommodates Linux users with occasional boxed tips and sidebars." (it-expert, Issue no. 48, 2004)

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 fall into two categories: technical manuals requiring 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 those you can safely dismiss. It is neither difficult nor expensive to harden a computer system or small office network and 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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Apress (March 11, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590593162
• ISBN-13: 978-1590593165
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,005,539 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)