Computer Security (Worldwide Series in Computer Science)


Product Description
A comprehensive and practical text and the perfect starting point for this subject ... 'Is this system secure?' seems, on the face of it, a straightforward question. Yet how one arrives at an answer is a process which poses a wide range of more complex questions which require a basic understanding of security mechanisms. Questions, such as: * Should protection focus on data, operations or users? * Whilst taking cast iron measures to build in security at one level, what does one do to prevent attackers gaining entry from a lower level?Starting with basic definitions and concepts, the first section of the book goes on to outline the mechanisms located at the heart of the computer system, mechanisms which provide the basis for techniques used in all other branches of the system. The second section examines the security features found in operating systems such as UNIX and Windows NT, catalogues security breaches, and introduces the topic of security evaluation. A third section is devoted to issues associated with distributed systems, such as network - and Web - security and considers cryptography as an essential technique for such environments. The final section of the book is constructed around database security, discussing problems in multi-level security, and examining security problems in specific settings.
Written for self-study and course use, this book will suit a variety of introductory and more advanced security programmes for students of computer science, engineering and related disciplines. It meets a real need for a comprehensive textbook on the subject. Technical and project managers will also find that the broad coverage offers a great starting point for discovering underlying issues and provides a means of orientation in a world populated by a bewildering array of competing security systems.
Computer Security (Worldwide Series in Computer Science) Review
First of all, the book's title is not quite correct. "Some Technical Aspects of Computer Security" would be closer to the truth. It does not cover many important areas of Computer Security, such as IS organization, physical security etc. The book was written based on university lecture notes and it shows. It is quite obvious that Mr. Gollmann has never been in charge of the security of a corporate network (I doubt that he had SEEN one), so his knowledge regarding the real-life issues is rather limited. There are hardly any case studies in the book. Consequently, the usefulness of the book depends on the audience. If you are a university professor, trying to "entertain" your students with theories that they can forget as soon as they graduate, look no further, buy this book NOW. The same thing applies if you are a student wanting to survive such a course. (The back cover of the book quotes someone from Link ping University: "...the book I have been looking for for years". I can easily believe that.) On the other hand, if you are an IS security expert, a security manager or an auditor, I doubt that you will be fired if you know nothing about, say, the Harrison-Ruzzo-Ullmann Model. However, if your knowledge about security policies is limited to what's written in the book, you may be in trouble soon. Those topics that are covered are descriptive and not action-oriented. For example, there is ample information about the types of viruses and anti-virus software that exist, but practically nothing about the controls that should be in place to prevent viruses from spreading. Still, I think everyone interested in computer security will find SOME information in the book that they can use some day.Most of the consumer Reviews tell that the "Computer Security (Worldwide Series in Computer Science)" are high quality item. You can read each testimony from consumers to find out cons and pros from Computer Security (Worldwide Series in Computer Science) ...

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