The Personal Internet Security Guidebook: Keeping Hackers and Crackers out of Your Home (The Korper and Ellis E-Commerce Books Series) [Paperback]

Tim Speed (Author), Juanita Ellis (Author), Steffano Korper (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0126565619 | ISBN-13: 978-0126565614 | Publication Date: October 19, 2001 | Edition: 1

The Personal Internet Security Guidebook is a complete guide to protecting your computer(s) on the Internet. The newest attack point for hackers is home computers on DSL and/or cable modems. This book will show you how to set up a home network and protect it from the "bad dudes." Also covered in this book is how to protect your computer on the road. Many hotels are now offering high-speed Internet access and this book will show you how to keep your computer safe in the hotel room as well as on the hotel network.

This is a how-to guide to keeping your personal computer safe on the Internet. Following the success of The Internet Security Guidebook, the authors have used their expertise to create a book specifically addressing home computers and traveling notebooks. Included in this book is a comprehensive list of vendors and services. Included are these key elements: protecting your PC on the Internet, home firewall software, how to set up a home network, protecting your PC on the road, and protecting your PC via DSL and/or cable modem.

A comprehensive list of vendors and services that you can download or purchase
Key elements such as: protecting your PC on the internet
How to fully utilise home firewall software
How to set-up a home network
Information on protecting you PC on the road
Information on protecting your PC via DSL and cable modems

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As more and more households go online with broadband connections, home Internet security is a hot topic. This book contains useful advice on protecting home PCs from hackers, crackers, trackers, and other "evil bad dudes" (authors' terminology). An extensive appendix on security hardware and software vendors and a chapter on securing DSL, cable, and dial-up connections are especially helpful. Unfortunately, the authors' attempts at humor, including comparing personal computer security to a radio signal-blocking aluminum foil hat, fall somewhat flat. Still, recommended for all public libraries.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Written in an easygoing and friendly manner, the book defines and explains the terms to know, such as routers, servers, bugs, DSL, etc. Threats (such as viruses) and solutions (such as encryption systems) are included. Single computers and home network configuration scenarios are presented, with suggested approaches to consider. Topics include Internet connections, physical security, theft-prevention devices, data protection, and privacy. The book is well-written...An excellent TCP/IP appendix, glossary, and index are included. Although especially useful for readers new to computer security, this book is also recommended for experienced users as a good overall descriptitve work. All levels.
--H.J. Bender, Education Process Inprovement Center, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 202 pages
• Publisher: Academic Press; 1 edition (October 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0126565619
• ISBN-13: 978-0126565614
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,663,208 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The personal Internet security guidebook, May 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Personal Internet Security Guidebook: Keeping Hackers and Crackers out of Your Home (The Korper and Ellis E-Commerce Books Series) (Paperback)

This book is poorly written and contains very little useful information. It spends far too much time describing trivial differences between various computer & network configurations, and too little time really discussing security. When it comes to discussing security tools (in an appendix), it simply lists all of the available products, with little to no comparisons or recommendations. The average user will get nothing from this book, and is better off spending the money on a firewall or screensaver.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars An appalling mess!, October 3, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Personal Internet Security Guidebook: Keeping Hackers and Crackers out of Your Home (The Korper and Ellis E-Commerce Books Series) (Paperback)

This book contains some useful information, simply presented, but it is so poorly written and edited that I kept thinking that it was meant to be a parody, doing for computer books what "Spinal Tap" did for rock documentaries.

The text appears not to have been edited, or even proof-read: In a chapter describing the history of the Internet, Vinton Cerf is sometimes "Cert" and sometimes "Cerf," even on the same page! In one case, the author states "So Cerf (yes dudes, not SERF!) and Kahn developed a new protocol..." and a few paragraphs later, "You see, the original model that Cert and Kahn put together...." (P.11). These quotes also give a good taste of the author's writing style, which might be described as "faux au courant."

Beyond that, the material is very disorganized. Every page seems to be peppered with seemingly random footnotes, often providing trivial information, while many obscure acronyms are never even explained at all.

The book is 200 pages long, much of it taken up with screenshots and diagrams. 40 of those pages are devoted to a list of security-related hardware and software tools with descriptions obviously copied from the vendor's advertising materials, and much of it already out-of-date. The foreword is by the CEO of Linksys. whose products are featured in many screenshots, and who is further flattered with a 2/3 page bio (more than is devoted to all three authors combined on the back cover), leading me to believe that the book is a Linksys commission with some additional support from the other sources mentioned.

The book is a quick read, and it might appeal to the dumb and dumber crowd, but I wouldn't trust it or recommend it for anyone else.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hackers at the door, January 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Personal Internet Security Guidebook: Keeping Hackers and Crackers out of Your Home (The Korper and Ellis E-Commerce Books Series) (Paperback)

This book was very useful ---- I found that I get attacked every day --- due to logs on my router. I agree with one of the other reviews -- too much Linksys stuff ... but still a great book and provided me with the information I needed to block these constant attacks on my cable modem line.