The Stephen Cobb Complete Book of PC and LAN Security

The thought of someone getting unauthorized access to the information you have stored on your personal computer is not a pleasant one. Even worse, however, would be the sudden disappearance of all your data in a disk crash.

Now, with The Stephen Cobb Complete Book of PC and LAN Security, you'll discover the most cost-effective methods for protecting your personal computer and the data that it holds from unwanted intruders and equipment failures. Computer expert Stephen Cobb takes a calm, realistic approach to this growing problem, explaining how to guard your system from today's most common threats, including:

• Hackers and other interlopers
• Viruses, worms, and logic bombs
• Vandals and thieves
• Competitors and industrial spies
• Disgruntled and/or careless employees
• Power failures
• Fires and other catastrophes

And, since an increasing number of offices are connecting their computer systems together, Cobb examines not only the security aspects of stand-alone PCs, but also the problems that face local area networks (LANs).

Throughout, the emphasis is on how to create effective security through careful planning, simple precautions, and user-training, rather than with expensive equipment. Whether you're a PC owner or a network administrator, this comprehensive guide can show you how to improve the security of your data without spending a fortune.

1. The Need for Security
• Good news and bad news
• Personal computer security defined
• What is at stake
• Do you really need this book?
• Attacks, threats, and scares
• Questions of security
• What is assumed
• Summary
2. The First Steps
• People, people, people
• Backup, backup, backup
• Under lock and key
• Turning on your computers
• Secure boot
• Summary
3. The First Steps
• Basic file protection
• While you're away from me
• Password protection
• Disk disaster recovery and prevention
4. Analysis and Planning
• The terminology of risk
• Methodology
• Performing risk evaluation
• The questions to ask
• Assessing probability
• Assessing value
• Security policy
• A contingency plan
• Begin again
• Commercial analysis and planning systems
• Summary
5. Securing Hardware
• A secure example
• Hardware restraint
• Power and internal control
• Damage protection
• Making your mark
• Securing the perimeter
• Protecting the whole system
• Faking it
• An introduction to batch files
• A range of products
• Summary
6. Keeping the Computers Running
• Power to the computer
• Fuses, grounds, and breakers
• Regulating the power supply
• The noise problem
• Line conditioners
• Buyer beware
• Guaranteeing the power supply
• Software assistance
• Batteries included
• Global village?
• Computer insurance
• Summary
7. Controlling Computer Access
• Site access control
• Physical keys
• Physical key management
• Authentication hardware
• The unattended system
• Electronic eavesdropping
• Batch files for boot control
• Using the ASK command
• The ANSWER command
• Using REPLY.COM
• Safety via CONFIG.SYS
• Boot disk problems
• A secure design
• Other hardware approaches
• Summary
8. Controlling File Access
• The role of file access control
• A file access scenario
• Free password protection
• Prying into files
• The technicalities of encryption
• Password selection and management
• Commercial access controls for DOS systems
• Footnote: The secrecy/privacy debate
• Summary
9. File Backup
• The backup dilemma
• Backup strategies
• Backing up to floppies
• Data, files, and backup tape
• High-capacity removable media
• Optical storage
• Cost factors
• Evaluating backup software
• Backup commands in DOS
• The restoration
• The COPY commands
• Third-party DOS backup
• Macintosh backup
• Software safety nets
• Summary
10. The Virus Threat
• Good news and bad news
• What viruses are
• Where they come from
• Virus awareness
• The virus makers
• Virus examples
• Defensive measures
• Defensive techniques
• Anti-virus hardware
• Anti-virus software
• Further anti-virus programs
• If you are infected
• Summary
11. Software Piracy and Pitfalls
• Software piracy
• Why people cheat
• A history of copy-protection
• Onlookers and interlopers
• Formatting, erasing, and recovering
• Access after the fact
• Summary
12. Network and Communication Security
• The combatants
• The field of combat
• Network background and terminology
• Current network offerings
• The network hardware security angle
• Networking and fault tolerance
• The network software security angle
• Security on Novell networks
• Telephone connections
• Micro-to-mainframe
• Quick links
• Hot links
• Summary
13. Hackers and Other Human Factors
• The people problem
• The people solution
• Hackers
• Hacking and the law
• Anti-hacking protection
• Summary
14. Conclusion and Future Developments
• Grand summary
• The layered approach
• The next front
• Conclusion

1. Company Listing
2. Going On-Line for Security
3. A Catalog of Viruses

AAAARRRGGG!!!!! I'm ashamed to own this book. Qualified bullshit that makes a press release from Microsoft look truthful.