Press Release
January 23, 2004
"Security Warrior": Know Your Enemy
Sebastopol, CA--Computer security is not precisely like warfare. In war,
both sides seek to take advantage of the other's weaknesses. Both sides
strive to operate from a position of offense rather than defense. Computer
security is rather like building a fortress that you hope will be
impenetrable to attack. It's similar to war, however, in that the threat
of attack is real, constant, malicious, and unrelenting. Therefore, the
tactics of war can be valuable in securing your systems and data against
assault. And, as in warfare, the more you know about your enemy, the
stronger your position.
Based on the principle that the best way to defend yourself is to
understand your attacker in depth, Security Warrior (O'Reilly, US
$44.95) by Cyrus Peikari and Anton Chuvakin reveals how your systems can
be threatened. Covering everything from reverse engineering to SQL
attacks, and including topics like social engineering, antiforensics, and
advanced attacks against Unix and Windows systems, this book leaves you
knowing your enemy and prepared to do battle.
Security Warrior offers readers unique methods for honing their
information security (or infosec) techniques, presented in an entertaining
and easy-to-read style. Covering a combination of formal science and
real-life infosec experiences, multiple platforms, and attacks and
defenses, the book explores areas of computer security that will gratify
even the most seasoned veterans. According to the Peikari and Chuvakin,
one example of this is their coverage of reverse code engineering (RCE),
including the esoteric subjects of Linux and embedded RCE. As they
explain, "RCE is indispensable for dissecting malicious code, unveiling
corporate spyware, and extracting application vulnerabilities, but until
this book, it has received sparse coverage in printed literature."
Reverse code engineering is thoroughly examined in the first section of
the book, "Software Cracking." Part II, "Network Stalking," reviews
security aspects of TCP/IP, network reconnaissance, OS fingerprinting, and
examines social engineering using psychological theories to explore
possible attacks and how hackers hide their tracks. Next, in "Platform
Attacks," readers learn about platform-specific attacks and defenses,
including weaknesses in Windows XP Remote Assistance, flaws in Kerberos
authentication on Windows Server, web services security, and SQL injection
attacks. Part IV, "Advanced Defense," tackles advanced methods of network
defense, including the use of Bayesian analysis to implement intrusion
detection systems.
As attacks against computer systems become increasingly sophisticated, a
strong defense is essential, and the best way to build an effective
defense is to understand and anticipate potential attacks. Anyone who is
on the front lines defending against the enemy needs this book. It gives
you the knowledge you need to render the most persistent enemy ineffectual.
Additional Resources:
Security Warrior
Cyrus Peikari and Anton Chuvakin
ISBN 0-596-00545-8, 531 pages, $44.95 US, $65.95 CA
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000
About O'Reilly
O'Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying "faint signals" from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.
Return to: O'Reilly Press Room
|
Recent Press Releases
Press Release Archive »
Resources
Press Contacts
Corporate
Sara Winge
800/998-9938 x7109
Media Relations - North America
Sara Peyton
800/998-9938 x7118
Media Relations - Germany
Barbara Müller
+49-221-973160-21
Media Relations - Japan
Kenji Watari
+81-3-3356-5227
Media Relations - United Kingdom
Josette Garcia
+44 (0)1252-721284
Media Relations - Conferences
Maureen Jennings
800/998-9938 x7083
|
