Risky Business: Protect Your Business From Being Stalked, Conned, or Blackmailed on the Web (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Risky Business: Protect Your Business from Being Stalked Conned, or Blackmailed on the Web, by online marketing consultant Daniel S. Janal, is an eye-opening look at some of the most common hazards faced by those who do business in cyberspace. The book examines risks related to internal abuse, external assault, fraud, libel, security, and other potential Net-related disasters. But "you will be able to outsmart criminals" with proper preparation, writes Janal, who recommends workable solutions to the various threats he has identified. From tightening Web site and computer system security, to protecting domain names and guarding against libel and copyright infringement, to fighting identity theft and online impersonation, this book outlines a number of practical solutions to real-life problems that could easily wreak havoc with an inexperienced company blithely hoping to take its place in the business sector of the online world. It also includes relevant forms and policies (such as the Software Publishers Association's recommended employee usage guidelines), step-by-step tips for combating common annoyances (like creating e-mail filters), and pointers to additional online references on specific topics. --Howard Rothman

Product Description

Protect yourself, your employees, and your business from online criminals

From trademark and copyright infringement to fraud and identity theft, cybercrime is a very real—and very costly—threat to anyone who conducts business via the Internet. In this probing expos, technology expert Daniel Janal uncovers the numerous threats, crimes, and misdeeds that exist online, and provides—perhaps, most importantly—a wealth of practical remedies and preventive measures with which to protect yourself and your business.

"Risky Business provides an important look at the risks you take when the Web becomes a part of your business and details ways to protect that business from those elements that prey upon any unsuspecting company. This is a must read for managers and entrepreneurs who have made the Web a part of their business." —Tim Bajarin President, Creative Strategies Consulting.

"Not only must you protect yourself in this new and exciting place called Cyberspace, but you must look out for your business, your family, and the very integrity of your identity. Risky Business tells you how to do just that. You will learn something on every page of this book. I did." —Larry Chase President, Chase Online Marketing Strategies.

Upside Books examine events in business and management through the lens of technology. Upside Magazine is the preeminent magazine for executives and managers eager to understand the business of high-tech.

A virtual field of dreams, the Internet has become the ideal arena for companies looking to expand marketing horizons, increase sales, boost exposure, and improve overall performance. However, for all its extraordinary opportunities, the Net can also be a virtual field of nightmares. It is a rich feeding ground for illegal and unethical activity, costing consumers more than two hundred and fifty million dollars a year. In 1997, online crime affected more than four hundred companies and institutions of all sizes. It is now more essential than ever that Net users be aware of, understand, and take precautions against the myriad hazards that exist in cyberspace.

In Risky Business, Daniel Janal, an online marketing and seasoned technology expert, takes an eye-opening look at the numerous threats that can wreak havoc on corporations who promote themselves online. Posting cautionary warnings about external risks, Janal provides practical guidelines for setting standards for internal employee use, and—perhaps, most importantly—offers foolproof remedies and preventive techniques for effectively combatting cybercrime.

Currently, cybercrime is an epidemic from which no business—or customer—is immune, from fraud and stock manipulation to impersonation and outright theft of identity. Such crimes can be maddeningly diverse, taking many forms, including network sabotage, unauthorized access, and proprietary theft. To put it bluntly, cybercrime is now a fact of business life with which everyone involved must contend.

The numerous hazards that the Internet poses will become clear as you discover where and how online felons work, how their crimes can damage your reputation, and what vulnerable spots your business may have. As it helps identify potential dangers and outlines protective measures, Risky Business unlocks a Pandora's box of legal and moral issues related to Internet usage. Drawing on the advice of lawyers, law enforcement officials, government agencies, and investor relations professionals, it also reveals how you can protect yourself and your business. Risky Business gives you the bottom-line information you need to guard against:

• Web site risks—plagiarism, libel, copyright, and domain infringement
• Internal threats to company security—competitive spying, cyberindustrial espionage, employee abuse of Internet privileges
• External attacks—stock manipulations from online investors, misinformation funneled through chat rooms, attack Web sites
• Dangers to your financial well-being—online fraud, security violations, technical abuses that can affect individuals and organizations.

Beyond identifying these potential problems, Risky Business presents workable solutions so you can beat the cybercriminals and keep your operations running smoothly. Risky Business fills a vital need for in-depth information on one of today's most urgent business concerns. Complete with quick-reference tips and online resources, this timely guide will become the bible for anyone who conducts business via the Internet.

DANIEL S. JANAL is a professional speaker, author, and marketing consultant specializing on the Internet. A frequent lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley Extension, he is the author of five books, including the Online Marketing Handbook (Wiley) and 101 Businesses You Can Start on the Internet.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 1 edition (March 10, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471197068
• ISBN-13: 978-0471197065
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,084,154 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Caveat Emptor- Caution before Coin, April 17, 1999

By	Gregory McMahan (Tottori, Japan) - See all my reviews

Once again, Janal would have received five stars for his introductory work on internet security were it not for the numerous typos and editorial errors throughout the book. To cite a glaring example, on page 315 of the book, one of Janal's four crisis communication measures is repeated twice.

Though the book's content is repetitive in many places, much of the information to be found here can be quite eye-opening for those who are either new to the internet or use it infrequently. While it is true that a lot of the information presented in this book can be found on the net, most people probably would not have the time, patience, or money to find it on their own. Janal should be commended for putting together this information and presenting it as a warning for those thinking of venturing on the net. Janal really does give the thinking novice cause for pause.

The organization of this volume is lacking in a couple of key areas and could have been better organized. Contact information for those quoted was repeated ad nauseum, and could have either been presented once at the end of a chapter or as an appendix at the end of the book. Since the book's target audience is obviously those who are new to the internet and those who rarely use it, Janal could have appended useful information, such as links to useful organizations. Granted, this information was included throughout the book, but really interrupted the flow of his easygoing, understandable dialogue and got in the way of important points in the text. Some of the chapters could have been subdivided into smaller, meatier chunks of information. On the other hand, other pieces of information, such as domain name trivia, could have been dumped altogether.

Yet, from a practical standpoint, the internet, as presented by Janal, can be a legal nightmare. One must consider intellectual property issues, copyright infringement, libel laws, trademark abuse, and domain name protection, in addition to various invasions of privacy and civil liberty long before venturing onto the internet.

To his credit, Janal freely admits that his book is no substitute for good legal help, and the wise web entrepreneur will retain good legal services long before going on the net and facing a problem. Most progressive companies that are serious about competing in the digital era have already taken the steps necessary to protect themselves, and intelligent web surfers are using the internet with a good deal of caution.

In the end, as many of the dangers Janal points out are often unavoidable and come out of the blue, there really is no substitute for a good legal offense, general and up-to-date awareness of the internet medium, and quite frankly, plain old common sense.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Follow this advice to protect your business., March 19, 1999

By A Customer

Common sense is often obvious only in retrospect. If you are starting or running an online business of any kind, this layman's oriented approach to security is the perfect place for you to start protecting yourself and your business from all kinds of nasties...

o hackers

o intellectual rights infringers

o etc., etc. -- even your own employees!

It's given me the right place to start asking my techies the right questions on numerous security-related issues. It's *THE* "protect yourself" book that we recommend in our book, "Make Your Site SELL!"

While a couple of parts are getting a touch dated, most issues are evergreen. I'm sure I'll find myself referring to it five years from now, if Dan can't convince the publisher to issue a new edition (hint, hint, Dan!).

Thanks Dan, for an unequivocal 5-star effort.

-----

-Ken Evoy, [e-mail]

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended by Internet ScamBusters, February 4, 1999

By A Customer

This well-written book by Dan Janal is a "must read" book for people interested in protecting themselves and their businesses from Internet scams and fraud. We often recommend it to the subscribers of Internet ScamBusters (the number one electronic newsletter on Internet fraud). Dan provides a very realistic assessment of what to watch out for online - and unfortunately, there are lots of issues. But fortunately, it's not too hard to protect yourself when you know what to look for.

Dr. Audri G. Lanford, editor Internet ScamBusters