Showing posts with label Privacy and data protection. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Privacy and data protection. Show all posts

1/13/2010

Review of Scene of the Cybercrime: Computer Forensics Handbook [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

I'm currently in the middle of the book Scene Of The Cybercrime by Debra Littlejohn Shinder, but I decided to do a review right now.This is a really good book on a number of levels...

Most books on computer and network security are written for the techie trying to secure their assets from outside attack.Obviously, there's a huge need for that information.But it seems that there is virtually nothing written from the law enforcement perspective on computer security.That's a major problem in two ways...For one, there are too few law enforcement personnel that understand exactly what cybercrime is and how it can be detected, fought, and prosecuted.That's probably the audience that would benefit most from this book.Second, most technical personnel don't know what to do in order to successfully build a case and prosecute an attacker once an intrusion has occurred.That's the other audience that will gain the most from reading Shinder's work.

The book includes the following chapters:Facing the Cybercrime Problem Head On; Reviewing the History of Cybercrime; Understanding the People on the Scene; Understanding Computer Basics; Understanding Network Basics; Understanding Network Intrusions and Attacks; Understanding Cybercrime Prevention; Implementing System Security; Implementing Cybercrime Detection Techniques; Collecting and Preserving Digital Evidence; Building the Cybercrime Case

The hardcore network security administrator will probably already know most of the information in the "Understanding..." chapters.But unless they are adept or experienced in forensic analysis, the last three chapters will be crucial information for them.Without the knowledge of how to preserve evidence, there's a good chance that you'll never have the satisfaction of seeing your attacker prosecuted.Higher level managers of a corporate security department will find all of this information useful, as they may not be as hands-on as the administrators and may not understand what threats and risks are present in today's environment.

From the law enforcement perspective, it's all good.Fighting cybercrime is so different than regular law enforcement.This is the perfect volume to give the budding cybercop all the information they need to get up to speed with how crime is conducted electronically.I would recommend that this book be required reading for law enforcement and prosecution personnel.

The book is well written with plenty of real-life examples of criminal activities and legal scenarios.It's one of the most engrossing technical reads I've had in awhile.A definite recommended read...

Product Description
"Cybercrime and cyber-terrorism represent a serious challenge to society as a whole." - Hans Christian Krüger, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Crime has been with us as long as laws have existed, and modern technology has given us a new type of criminal activity: cybercrime. Computer and network related crime is a problem that spans the globe, and unites those in two disparate fields: law enforcement and information technology.

This book will help both IT pros and law enforcement specialists understand both their own roles and those of the other, and show why that understanding and an organized, cooperative effort is necessary to win the fight against this new type of crime.

62% of US companies reported computer-related security breaches resulting in damages of $124 million dollars. This data is an indication of the massive need for Cybercrime training within the IT and law enforcement communities.
The only book that covers Cybercrime from forensic investigation through prosecution.
Cybercrime is one of the battlefields in the war against terror.

About the Author
Debra Littlejohn Shinder is a former Police Sergeant and Police Academy Instructor, turned IT professional. She and her husband, Dr. Thomas W. Shinder, have provided network consulting services to businesses and municipalities, conducted training at colleges and technical training centers, and spoken at seminars around the country. Deb specializes in networking and security, and she and Tom have written numerous books, including the best selling Configuring ISA Server 2000 (Syngress Publishing, ISBN: 1-928994-29-6), and Deb is the sole author of Computer Networking Essentials. Deb also is the author of over 100 articles for print publications and electronic magazines such as TechProGuild, CNET, 8Wire, and Cramsession.com. Deb is a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Police Crisis Negotiations and the advisory board of the Eastfield College Criminal Justice Training Center. Ed Tittel (Technical Editor) is a 20-year veteran of the computing industry who's worked as a programmer, systems engineer, technical manager, writer, consultant, and trainer. A contributor to over 100 computer books, Ed created the Exam Cram series of certification guides. Ed also writes for numerous Web sites and magazines on certification topics including InformIT.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Scene of the Cybercrime: Computer Forensics Handbook [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

10/13/2009

Review of Open Source Software Law (Artech House Telecommunications Library) (Hardcover)

This is one of two books that are essential resources for software acquisition - "Software Agreements Line by Line" (ISBN 1587623692) for commercial software, and this one for open source.

The SCO debacle with respect to Linux, and earlier cases of open source challenges, such as that related to MySQL, underscore the importance of understanding what you can and cannot do under the provisions of the various open source license models.This book provides a thorough understanding of each of the major license models, a comparison of open source to commercial models, and topics such as intellectual property protection, governing laws, and related issues.

I like the way the author, a practicing attorney and respected expert in cyberlaw and Internet governance, places open source in context with background information on software patents, open source goals and the Open Source Definition.This is key to understanding the licensing models, including GNU GPL, Copyleft, Aladdin Free Public License, and Open Software License. It's also key to understanding the limitations and possible vulnerabilities inherent with these license models in particular, and open source models in general - especially regarding ownership of code, derivative works, and the legal ramifications.

An interesting chapter for anyone who is considering releasing an open source product, "Rolling Your Own Open Source License", covers these issues from the developer's perspective, and gives excellent advice for selecting the appropriate open source license model.

The appendices and associated CD ROM contain a wealth of reference material, ranging from significant provisions of UCITA and UETA (1999), to a summary of every major and some minor models not covered in detail in the body of the book. Two areas in the appendix that merits attention are Fundamentals of Copyright Law, and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), both of which are germane.

This book is augmented by the author's weblog, which is an invaluable resource and should be visited.The CD ROM that comes with this book is a searchable resource for quickly finding license template information and related laws.

Product Description
Provides a broad introduction to the area of software licensing in the information age. Helps professionals and students to understand the basic philosophy and key issues of open source license. Explains the legal framework that has been developed to support the increasingly popular Internet-based open source and free software community.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Open Source Software Law (Artech House Telecommunications Library) (Hardcover)