Customer Reviews

A Short Course on Computer Viruses (Wiley Professional Computing)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Fred Cohen did pioneering research work in viruses and this book is a survey of virus technology. The book covers the general topic of malicious software from a solid technical level. The book provides no magic bullets either for stopping viruses nor for writing them (there aren't any), but he nails the technology right on. Sill a worthwhile book even though it predates the popularization of active content like Java and the outbreaks of macro viruses in Office applications.

This book is not about how to write viruses or how to protect yourself from them. It's about the theoretical aspects of viruses. It's a good book. Not great writing, sometimes too difficult theory, leaves out some stuff that could be included now. It's pretty much required reading if you want to really understand how viruses work, not just how to operate your anti virus software, or how to create a new variant of an Outlook virus. It can elevate your thinking about viruses above the specifics of what is going on with today's viruses under today's security models.

While Cohen did coin the term Computer Virus this book. This book little in the technical application of viruses. Lot on theory that requires a good knowledge of math to follow. While he tries to make light of the Virus problem he does stress it is a problem that must be dealt with. Though he seems to supporr the idea that knowledge of Comp. Virus is a better answer then allow users to blindly deal with viruses. This book would not help you make or even stop a virus. Unless you are solidly ground in math theory of Computer viruses and the use of this theoy in actaul code. This book is more for the Collector of books of this nature or the seroius student.