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PC Confidential: Secure Your PC from Snoops, Spies, Spouses, Supervisors, and Credit Card Thieves (With CD-ROM)
 
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PC Confidential: Secure Your PC from Snoops, Spies, Spouses, Supervisors, and Credit Card Thieves (With CD-ROM) [Paperback]

Michael A. Banks (Author)
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)


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Book Description

April 15, 2000
Personal privacy and security on your PC are the topics addressed by this timely guide. PC Confidential reveals to the average user the security secrets the experts already know and shows users how to protect their computer files from unwanted intruders. This book is written for the average PC user -- not for the network administrator, software guru, or hacker. Anyone who knows how to work in Windows knows enough to benefit from this book. It is for the PC user who wants to protect his or her privacy on a desktop or notebook computer that can be easily accessed by others at home or at work. Everyone who uses a PC should know how the computer keeps track of their data (even when it has been deleted), where they've been on the Internet, when and how long they've been working, and much more.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Most computer security books assume that readers are full-time security specialists, or at least system administrators with a strong interest in keeping their networks safe. These books tend to require prior knowledge and are oriented toward corporation-size systems. PC Confidential, thankfully, takes an alternate approach. It explains how you, with your average Windows-based PC and modem, can protect yourself from all sorts of computer-centric unpleasantness. Whether you're worried about viruses, file thieves, or Internet snoops, this book has some good advice. It does make some controversial points, among them a recommendation that you turn off your browser's cookie-storage feature completely (although some sites won't work if you do that). You might want to think twice before disabling cookies altogether. Generally, however, the advice is worth heeding.

As is always the case with security books, the recommendations sometimes seem too common-sensical (change your password frequently, don't give your telephone number to people you don't know well, and so on); but, even so, there's enough clever material here to make the book a decent value. Author Michael A. Banks works as a computer-security consultant to police agencies, and his stories of electronic shenanigans make great reading. Future editions ought to include information about personal firewalls, such as BlackIce Defender (essential on home networks that are hooked to cable modems and other connections that are always on) and Windows utilities, such as TweakUI and its Paranoia features. --David Wall

Topics covered: Computer security for the Windows-based PC, operating as a stand-alone unit in a home or small office and contacting the Internet via a dialup connection. How to use antivirus software, encryption tools, authentication techniques, and some sneaky ways to increase security through file concealment.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 258 pages
  • Publisher: Sybex Inc; 1St Edition edition (April 15, 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0782127479
  • ISBN-13: 978-0782127478
  • Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 3.1 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,931,019 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Full-time freelance writer. Hobbies and interests include model building, travel, dogs, language, classic cars, the blues, collecting books and old toys, old radio, and history in general. Author of the New York Times bestseller "CROSLEY: Two Brothers and a Business Empire that Transformed the Nation," "Blogging Heroes: Interviews with 30 of the Web's Top Bloggers" and 41 other books.

Available to speak at trade shows, corporate events, training sessions, writers' conferences, and other events on product development and marketing, broadcast history (esp. Ruth Lyons), Crosley cars, WLW, and other topics. Contact banksbook at yahoo dot com or crosleybook at aol dot com

 

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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Security for the Novice, October 24, 2000
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This review is from: PC Confidential: Secure Your PC from Snoops, Spies, Spouses, Supervisors, and Credit Card Thieves (With CD-ROM) (Paperback)
This is a good book if you are new to computing and the Internet. If you are worried that everytime you turn on your computer someone is watching, this book may scare you more. Either way, this book will give some good advice regarding security.

Unfortunately, the book does not present a balanced view when it comes to whether or not you should implement most of the measures. It seems a little common sense is more valuable than many of these security measures.

I wish they had some statistical backing as to the chances of anyone of us becoming a victim.

But still, this is a good book for the laymen who hears all these buzz words (viruses, cyberthief, etc), and doesn't know what they mean. This will help anyone get a clear understanding of the possible threats to your computer and your information

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