This book looks at the basics of computer safety. It emphasises that once a computer is online, the user is open to dangers of various kinds, so there is a need to keep information private and use secure passwords. It defines digital footprints and online identity, and explains how to tell if a website is safe to visit. It also explains about computer etiquette and cyber bullying. The concepts are illustrated with case studies and examples of searches, and there are do's and don'ts and fact boxes to illustrate the topics covered.
Computers at Risk presents a comprehensive agenda for developing nationwide policies and practices for computer security. Specific recommendations are provided for industry and for government agencies engaged in computer security activities. The volume also outlines problems and opportunities in computer security research, recommends ways to improve the research infrastructure, and suggests topics for investigators. The book explores the diversity of the field, the need to engineer countermeasures based on speculation of what experts think computer attackers may do next, why the technology community has failed to respond to the need for enhanced security systems, how innovators could be encouraged to bring more options to the marketplace, and balancing the importance of security against the right of privacy.
"In 1961, Leonard Kleinrock submitted to the MIT a PhD thesis entitled: "Information Flow in Large Communication Nets"1, an innovative idea for message exchanging procedures, based on the concept of post-office packet delivery procedures. It was the seed of ARPANET, a wide area data communication network, implemented in 1969, considered the origin of the Internet. At the end of the 1970's, digital transmission and packet-switching allowed the building of ISDN (Integrated Services Data Networks). Voice and data were integrated in the same network, given birth to electronic offices combining computation and communication technologies. The electronic miniaturization and the popularization of micro-computers in the 1980's, brought computer communication to home, allowing the integration and automation of many domestic tasks and access to some daily facilities from home. A new technological breakthrough came in 1989, when Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist working at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), conceived the world wide web (www), easing the communication between machines around the world2. Nowadays, combining Kleinrock and Berners-Lee seminal ideas for network hardware and software, Internet became all pervasive in the daily life around the world, transforming the old telephone set into a small multipurpose computer. Consequently, human life radically changed. Our dependence on computer networks became undeniable and together with it, harmful programs or malwares, developedtodamagemachinesortostealinformation, represent permanent threat toindividuals and society. In computer science a new work research line emerged: cyber-security,which includes developing models, routines and software to protect machines and networks from malicious programs. This new discipline has attracted researchers to develop ideas for protecting people and corporations. Cyber-security is the object of this book, that presents hints about how the community is working to manage these threats: Mathematical models based on epidemiology studies, Control of malwares and virus propagation, Protection of essential service plants to assure reliability, the direct impact of virus and malwares over human activities and behavior, Government entities which are highly concerned with the necessary preventive actions. As cyber-security is a new and wide subject, the intention was to give a general idea of some points, leaving to the readers the task to go ahead"
Computer hacking is an often misunderstood activity, with hackers being portrayed in the media as all being criminals and deviants. However, as you will discover through reading this book - there is more to hacking than meets the eye!This informative book dispels the myths surrounding computer hacking, and teaches you about the different types of hackers in the world. You will learn about the different hacking techniques that can be used, and also what they are used for.Most importantly, you will learn how to do some basic hacks yourself!If you aspire to become a hacker, or would simply like to discover more about the world of computer hacking - then this book is for you!Here Is What You'll Learn About...What Is Computer HackingDifferent Types Of HacksWhite Hat VS. Black Hat HackingComputer Security BasicHacking CultureSimple Hacking TechniquesHacking TerminologyMuch, Much More!
Most introductory books about computers are long, detailed technical books such as those used in a computer science course or else tutorials that provide instructions on how to operate a computer with little description of what happens inside the machine. This book fits in the large gap between these two extremes. It is for people who would like to understand how computers work, without having to learn a lot of technical details. Only the most important things about computers are covered. There is no math except some simple arithmetic. The only prerequisite is knowing how to use a web browser. As an alternative or adjunct to reading the book, you can watch a series of short videos by going to youtube.com and searching for “Understanding Computers, Smartphones and the Internet”. Only current day technology is covered. People who are interested in learning about how computers evolved from the earliest machines can read the companion book “A Concise History of Computers, Smartphones and the Internet”. While originally intended for people who are not in the computer field, this book is also useful for those taking a coding course or an introductory computer science course. Even people already in the computer field will find things of interest in this book.
This book provides a concise yet comprehensive overview of computer and Internet security, suitable for a one-term introductory course for junior/senior undergrad or first-year graduate students. It is also suitable for self-study by anyone seeking a solid footing in security – including software developers and computing professionals, technical managers and government staff. An overriding focus is on brevity, without sacrificing breadth of core topics or technical detail within them. The aim is to enable a broad understanding in roughly 350 pages. Further prioritization is supported by designating as optional selected content within this. Fundamental academic concepts are reinforced by specifics and examples, and related to applied problems and real-world incidents. The first chapter provides a gentle overview and 20 design principles for security. The ten chapters that follow provide a framework for understanding computer and Internet security. They regularly refer back to the principles, with supporting examples. These principles are the conceptual counterparts of security-related error patterns that have been recurring in software and system designs for over 50 years. The book is “elementary” in that it assumes no background in security, but unlike “soft” high-level texts it does not avoid low-level details, instead it selectively dives into fine points for exemplary topics to concretely illustrate concepts and principles. The book is rigorous in the sense of being technically sound, but avoids both mathematical proofs and lengthy source-code examples that typically make books inaccessible to general audiences. Knowledge of elementary operating system and networking concepts is helpful, but review sections summarize the essential background. For graduate students, inline exercises and supplemental references provided in per-chapter endnotes provide a bridge to further topics and a springboard to the research literature; for those in industry and government, pointers are provided to helpful surveys and relevant standards, e.g., documents from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
A brand-new edition of the popular introductory textbook that explores how computer hardware, software, and networks work Computers are everywhere. Some are highly visible, in laptops, tablets, cell phones, and smart watches. But most are invisible, like those in appliances, cars, medical equipment, transportation systems, power grids, and weapons. We never see the myriad computers that quietly collect, share, and sometimes leak personal data about us. Governments and companies increasingly use computers to monitor what we do. Social networks and advertisers know more about us than we should be comfortable with. Criminals have all-too-easy access to our data. Do we truly understand the power of computers in our world? In this updated edition of Understanding the Digital World, Brian Kernighan explains how computer hardware, software, and networks work. Topics include how computers are built and how they compute; what programming is; how the Internet and web operate; and how all of these affect security, privacy, property, and other important social, political, and economic issues. Kernighan touches on fundamental ideas from computer science and some of the inherent limitations of computers, and new sections in the book explore Python programming, big data, machine learning, and much more. Numerous color illustrations, notes on sources for further exploration, and a glossary explaining technical terms and buzzwords are included. Understanding the Digital World is a must-read for readers of all backgrounds who want to know more about computers and communications.
This book provides a concise yet comprehensive overview of computer and Internet security, suitable for a one-term introductory course for junior/senior undergrad or first-year graduate students. It is also suitable for self-study by anyone seeking a solid footing in security – including software developers and computing professionals, technical managers and government staff. An overriding focus is on brevity, without sacrificing breadth of core topics or technical detail within them. The aim is to enable a broad understanding in roughly 350 pages. Further prioritization is supported by designating as optional selected content within this. Fundamental academic concepts are reinforced by specifics and examples, and related to applied problems and real-world incidents. The first chapter provides a gentle overview and 20 design principles for security. The ten chapters that follow provide a framework for understanding computer and Internet security. They regularly refer back to the principles, with supporting examples. These principles are the conceptual counterparts of security-related error patterns that have been recurring in software and system designs for over 50 years. The book is “elementary” in that it assumes no background in security, but unlike “soft” high-level texts it does not avoid low-level details, instead it selectively dives into fine points for exemplary topics to concretely illustrate concepts and principles. The book is rigorous in the sense of being technically sound, but avoids both mathematical proofs and lengthy source-code examples that typically make books inaccessible to general audiences. Knowledge of elementary operating system and networking concepts is helpful, but review sections summarize the essential background. For graduate students, inline exercises and supplemental references provided in per-chapter endnotes provide a bridge to further topics and a springboard to the research literature; for those in industry and government, pointers are provided to helpful surveys and relevant standards, e.g., documents from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Network security is not simply about building impenetrable walls—determined attackers will eventually overcome traditional defenses. The most effective computer security strategies integrate network security monitoring (NSM): the collection and analysis of data to help you detect and respond to intrusions. In The Practice of Network Security Monitoring, Mandiant CSO Richard Bejtlich shows you how to use NSM to add a robust layer of protection around your networks—no prior experience required. To help you avoid costly and inflexible solutions, he teaches you how to deploy, build, and run an NSM operation using open source software and vendor-neutral tools. You'll learn how to: –Determine where to deploy NSM platforms, and size them for the monitored networks –Deploy stand-alone or distributed NSM installations –Use command line and graphical packet analysis tools, and NSM consoles –Interpret network evidence from server-side and client-side intrusions –Integrate threat intelligence into NSM software to identify sophisticated adversaries There’s no foolproof way to keep attackers out of your network. But when they get in, you’ll be prepared. The Practice of Network Security Monitoring will show you how to build a security net to detect, contain, and control them. Attacks are inevitable, but losing sensitive data shouldn't be.
