Mission Critical Internet Security (Mission Critical Series) [Paperback]

Bradley Dunsmore (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1928994202 | ISBN-13: 978-1928994206 | Publication Date: December 30, 2000 | Edition: 1

Increase Security on an IP Network

Continuing the "Mission Critical" series, this book provides crucial coverage of network security topics that IT professionals can't afford to be without. In the past year several Internet retailers, including Amazon.com have been hacked into and put out of service. Even large-scale enterprise networks where security is at a supposed high-level are at risk. Because of the increase in network attacks, the need for information on network security is at an all-time high.

Mission Critical(tm) Internetworking Security focuses on Internet Protocol, or IP security. IP technologies are the foundation of the Internet and understanding their associated security risks is key for IT professionals. This book shows readers how to increase security on IP networks and what to do when security is threatened.


* Discusses the steps to be taken when an IP network is compromised
* Special hardware coverage includes information on Lucent and Cisco products, including RADIUS and ComOS.
* Written by Vinton Cerf, senior VP at MCI, and referred to by many as the "Father of the Internet"

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The best security for a network segment is isolation, but that's not an option if you want your users to enjoy Internet connectivity. Mission Critical Internet Security explores your options for protecting your network from attack across the Internet, emphasizing firewall solutions from Cisco, Symantec, Microsoft, and Check Point. This book begins with general advice about how to set up a comprehensive system of defenses (comprising a firewall, an intrusion detection system, authentication and cryptography schemes, and protocols like IPsec). It concludes with information (this is the bulk of the authors' work) on the specifics of configuring several products.

You'll enjoy the war stories that appear as sidebars; they call your attention to common errors (and make you feel better if you've made them). You'll also appreciate the carefully considered question-and-answer sections that explain umpteen design alternatives (SOCKS proxy versus Winsock proxy, for example) and engineering challenges (one example: building an IPsec virtual private network between firewalls from different manufacturers). Product-specific sections on Microsoft Proxy Server, Cisco PIX, Symantec Raptor, and Check Point FireWall-1 include a lot of detail, and Syngress promises to keep up with manufacturer upgrades (via Web updates to this book) for at least a year. Worth its price for its conceptual information alone (particularly the IPsec part), this book will really please you if you're installing one of the firewalls it focuses on. --David Wall

Topics covered: How to protect a private network from outside intrusion, while allowing its users Internet access and connectivity via virtual private networks (VPNs). Particularly detailed coverage goes to IPsec, Kerberos, Cisco PIX, Symantec (formerly Axent) Raptor, Microsoft Proxy Server, and Check Point FireWall-1.

About the Author

Bradley Dunsmore (A+, Network+, i-Net+, MCDBA, MCSE+I, CCNA) is currently working for Cisco Systems in Raleigh, NC. He is a Technical Trainer in the Service Provider Division where he develops and issues training to the solution deployment engineers. He has eight years of computer experience, the last four in enterprise networking. Bradley has worked with Bell Atlantic, Adtran Telecommunications, and Electronics Systems Inc., a Virginia based systems intergrator. He specializes in TCP/IP and LAN/WAN communications in both small and large business enviroments.

Stace Cunningham (CMISS, CCNA, MCSE, CLSE, COS/2E, CLSI, COS/2I, CLSA, MCPS, A+) is a security consultant currently located in San Antonio, TX. He has assisted several clients, including a casino, in the development and implementation of network security plans for their organizations. He held the positions of Network Security Officer and Computer Systems Security Officer while serving in the United States Air Force. While in the Air Force, Stace was heavily involved in installing, troubleshooting, and protecting long-haul circuits, ensuring the appropriate level of cryptography necessary to protect the level of information traversing the circuit as well the circuits from TEMPEST hazards. This included American equipment as well as equipment from Britain and Germany while he was assigned to Allied Forces Southern Europe (NATO). Stace has been an active contributor to The SANS Institute booklet “Windows NT Security Step by Step.” In addition, he has co-authored or served as the Technical Editor for over 30 books published by Osborne/McGraw-Hill, Syngress Publishing, and Microsoft Press. He has also written articles for “Internet Security Advisor” magazine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 656 pages
• Publisher: Syngress; 1 edition (December 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1928994202
• ISBN-13: 978-1928994206
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,478,484 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Practical help for deploying specific security applications, April 18, 2001

By 

Richard Bejtlich "TaoSecurity" (Metro Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mission Critical Internet Security (Mission Critical Series) (Paperback)

I am a senior engineer for managed network security operations, who works mostly with FreeBSD, Linux, and Solaris. I read this book to learn more about security technologies associated with products by Cisco, Microsoft, and other vendors. (I also try to read a variety of computer security books.) If you're planning to deploy Cisco routers, Microsoft Proxy Servers, or Raptor / Checkpoint / Pix firewalls, give this book a try. If not, you may find the first few chapters worthy nonetheless.

"Mission Critical" strictly adheres to the defender's point of view, whereas books like "Hacking Exposed" demonstrate security by describing the attacker's perspective. Chris Brenton's "Mastering Network Security" (Sybex, 1999) is my favorite "defensive" book, although I bet his new book "Active Defense" (Sybex, 2001) will be the king of this category. "Mission Critical's" focus on the Microsoft world at the expense of UNIX operating systems is a weakness, unlike the even-handed attention in Brenton's books.

My favorite section in "Mission Critical" is chapter 4, "Internet Security Applications," which describes cryptography, digital signatures, SSL, SSH, PGP, S/MIME, and Kerberos. The authors give just enough detail to explain how these technologies work without being boring or repetitive. Chapter 3, "IPSec," is instructive, and I also think chapter 8, "Cisco IOS," delivers plenty of content.

The book's main weakness (other than failure to give UNIX enough attention) is its lack of cohesiveness. I could tell several writers were involved, each with a different opinion as to what "layer 3" or "layer 4" means, for example. (This matters; are we talking OSI or "DoD" TCP/IP? If "DoD" TCP/IP, is the bottom layer "network" as listed on page 22 or "host-to-host" as on page 157? And doesn't "network" usually refer to layer 3 in the OSI model, anyway?) I survived the inconsistencies, but would the intended audience?

I strongly recommend prospective readers check the table of contents to see if the products discussed apply to your environment. As a general security book, "Mission Critical" rates 3 stars. As a book for professionals needing help with specific products, it's a 4 star book. "Mission Critical" is another step in the right direction for Syngress.

(Disclaimer: I received my review copy free from the publisher.)

5.0 out of 5 stars Good material on Proxy Server, February 28, 2001

By 

David Phan (Dallas, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mission Critical Internet Security (Mission Critical Series) (Paperback)

As an IT professional, I bought this book to see what I am missing on the Internet security area. Just to discorve that there are so many issues that did not know. I especially like the chapter on Proxy Server (by Joli Ballew).

Well worth reading material.