Computer Security for the Home and Small Office

1. Front Matter

   Pages N2-xli

   PDF

2. Introducing the Dark Side

   • Thomas C. Greene

   Pages 1-29

3. Vectors

   • Thomas C. Greene

   Pages 31-71

4. Social Engineering

   • Thomas C. Greene

   Pages 73-93

5. From Newbie to Power User

   • Thomas C. Greene

   Pages 95-154

6. Treasure Hunt

   • Thomas C. Greene

   Pages 155-194

7. The Open-Source Escape Hatch

   • Thomas C. Greene

   Pages 195-217

8. Trust Nothing, Fear Nothing

   • Thomas C. Greene

   Pages 219-277

9. Back Matter

   Pages 279-406

   PDF

Computer Security for the Home and Small Office addresses the long-neglected security needs of everyday users in the home, company workstation, and SOHO (small office/home office) categories, with emphasis on system hardening, eliminating malware, user and Internet privacy, encryption, and data hygiene.

The book offers comprehensive tutorials for protecting privacy, preventing system attacks and, most important, avoiding difficulties from buggy programs and software laced with hidden functions and networking capabilities.

Furthermore, the book is packed with information about open-source products with related security strategies for Windows users. One recurrent strategy: replacing insecure closed-source applications and utilities with safer open-source alternatives, thereby eliminating numerous routes to system exploitation and privacy invasion.

Also included is plenty of guidance for Linux users, and a full chapter weighing the advantages and disadvantages of migrating to Linux—a step that can greatly simplify computer security, even for the novice user.

• Linux
• Windows
• computer security
• security
• software

From the reviews:

"Thomas Greene provides the home and SOHO user, and the work-at-home corporate user, a thorough, realistic assessment of the security and privacy risks they face, to instruct them in making their machines and networks unattractive targets for attack and to limit the damage an intrusion or other security snafu can cause. It is a general security and privacy handbook primarily for Window users, but ... accommodates Linux users with occasional boxed tips and sidebars." (it-expert, Issue no. 48, 2004)

• Elsevier Science, UK

  Thomas C. Greene

Thomas C. Greene is associate editor of The Register, the leading independent IT news daily, where he has been a senior editor and columnist for 5 years. Tom covers cybercrime, computer and network security, and Washington politics and legislation related to information technology.

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