Whenever Hollywood does a movie in which someone breaks into a computer, the hacking scenes are completely laughable to anyone who knows the first thing about computer security. Think of Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets and Solutions as a computer thriller for people with a clue. This is a technical book, certainly--URLs, procedures, and bits of advice take the place of plot and characters--but the information about hackers' tools will leave you wondering exactly how vulnerable your system is. More to the point, the explicit instructions for stealing supposedly secure information (a Windows NT machine's Security Access Manager file, for example) will leave you absolutely certain that your computers have gaping holes in their armor.
The book describes the security characteristics of several computer-industry pillars, including Windows NT, Unix, Novell NetWare, and certain firewalls. It also explains what sorts of attacks against these systems are feasible, which are popular, and what tools exist to make them easier. The authors walk the reader through numerous attacks, explaining exactly what attackers want, how they defeat the relevant security features, and what they do once they've achieved their goal. In what might be called after-action reports, countermeasures that can help steer bad buys toward less-well-defended prey are explained. If you run Linux, you may want to supplement the Unix information in this book with Maximum Linux Security, another practical-minded and very popular security text. --David Wall
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Source : http://securityfocus.com
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets & Solutions (Hacking Exposed)
Windows 2000 (Hacking Exposed)
With a revised Microsoft operating system comes a revised set of security holes and means of attacking them. Hacking Exposed: Windows 2000 presents a snapshot of known Windows 2000 security weaknesses and the tools that have been developed to exploit them, in turn enabling system operators to mount better defenses. This book builds on and contributes to the small but respected Hacking Exposed series, giving network administrators a detailed picture of the threats their Windows 2000 machines face--and all the motivation they should need to install the latest patches right away. Which points out a characteristic of this book: Many of the problems it catalogs are known bugs that shouldn't be a problem if you've installed the latest fixes and have good password and privilege policies. The point: Even with this book on your shelf, keep an eye on the security sites for news of emerging problems.
Joel Scambray and Stuart McClure have chosen to organize their book according to the steps involved in system compromise (identifying a target, gaining access and privileges, using or destroying the system, and so on) as well as by area of vulnerability. In addition to well-written passages that explain general hacking strategies and concepts, the authors devote sections to software (meaning native Windows commands, tools that are part of the Windows NT/2000 Resource Kit, as well as external software). Sometimes, they'll just offer a description, but most of the time, the authors present a step-by-step guide to carrying out the exploit at hand. This is a valuable book that every Windows 2000 expert should read closely. --David Wall
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Hacking Exposed Windows: Microsoft Windows Security Secrets and Solutions, Third Edition (Hacking Exposed)
The latest Windows security attack and defense strategies
"Securing Windows begins with reading this book." --James Costello (CISSP) IT Security Specialist, Honeywell
Meet the challenges of Windows security with the exclusive Hacking Exposed "attack-countermeasure" approach. Learn how real-world malicious hackers conduct reconnaissance of targets and then exploit common misconfigurations and software flaws on both clients and servers. See leading-edge exploitation techniques demonstrated, and learn how the latest countermeasures in Windows XP, Vista, and Server 2003/2008 can mitigate these attacks. Get practical advice based on the authors' and contributors' many years as security professionals hired to break into the world's largest IT infrastructures. Dramatically improve the security of Microsoft technology deployments of all sizes when you learn to:
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Establish business relevance and context for security by highlighting real-world risks
* Take a tour of the Windows security architecture from the hacker's perspective, exposing old and new vulnerabilities that can easily be avoided
* Understand how hackers use reconnaissance techniques such as footprinting, scanning, banner grabbing, DNS queries, and Google searches to locate vulnerable Windows systems
* Learn how information is extracted anonymously from Windows using simple NetBIOS, SMB, MSRPC, SNMP, and Active Directory enumeration techniques
* Prevent the latest remote network exploits such as password grinding via WMI and Terminal Server, passive Kerberos logon sniffing, rogue server/man-in-the-middle attacks, and cracking vulnerable services
* See up close how professional hackers reverse engineer and develop new Windows exploits
* Identify and eliminate rootkits, malware, and stealth software
* Fortify SQL Server against external and insider attacks
* Harden your clients and users against the latest e-mail phishing, spyware, adware, and Internet Explorer threats
* Deploy and configure the latest Windows security countermeasures, including BitLocker, Integrity Levels, User Account Control, the updated Windows Firewall, Group Policy, Vista Service Refactoring/Hardening, SafeSEH, GS, DEP, Patchguard, and Address Space Layout Randomization
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Windows Server 2003 (Hacking Exposed)
"The most demystifying source of information since Toto exposed the Wizard. Hacking Exposed Windows Server 2003 eliminates the mystique and levels the playing field by revealing the science behind the curtain." --Greg Wood, General Manager, Information Security, Microsoft Corporation
From the best-selling co-authors of the world-renowned book, Hacking Exposed, comes Hacking Exposed Windows Server 2003. You’ll learn, step-by-step, how to defend against the latest attacks by understanding how intruders enter and pilfer compromised networks and weaknesses. All the new security features and exploits in Windows Server 2003 are covered.
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Source : http://securityfocus.com
Hacking Exposed [BARGAIN PRICE]
A lot of computer-security textbooks approach the subject from a defensive point of view. "Do this, and probably you'll survive a particular kind of attack," they say. In refreshing contrast, Hacking Exposed, Second Edition talks about security from an offensive angle. A Jane's-like catalog of the weaponry that black-hat hackers use is laid out in full. Readers see what programs are out there, get a rundown on what the programs can do, and benefit from detailed explanations of concepts (such as wardialing and rootkits) that most system administrators kind of understand, but perhaps not in detail. The book also walks through how to use the more powerful and popular hacker software, including L0phtCrack. This new edition has been updated extensively, largely with the results of "honeypot" exercises (in which attacks on sacrificial machines are monitored) and Windows 2000 public security trials. There's a lot of new stuff on e-mail worms, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and attacks that involve routing protocols.
The result of all of this familiarity with bad-guy tools is a leg up on defending against them. Hacking Exposed wastes no time in explaining how to implement the countermeasures--where they exist--that will render known attacks ineffective. Taking on the major network operating systems and network devices one at a time, the authors tell you exactly what Unix configuration files to alter, what Windows NT Registry keys to change, and what settings to make in NetWare. They spare no criticism of products with which they aren't impressed, and don't hesitate to point out inherent, uncorrectable security weaknesses where they find them. This book is no mere rehashing of generally accepted security practices. It and its companion Web site are the best way for all of you network administrators to know thine enemies. --David Wall
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