Product Description

Your expert guide to information security

As businesses and consumers become more dependent on complex multinational information systems, the need to understand and devise sound information security systems has never been greater. This title takes a practical approach to information security by focusing on real-world examples. While not sidestepping the theory, the emphasis is on developing the skills and knowledge that security and information technology students and professionals need to face their challenges. The book is organized around four major themes:
* Cryptography: classic cryptosystems, symmetric key cryptography, public key cryptography, hash functions, random numbers, information hiding, and cryptanalysis
* Access control: authentication and authorization, password-based security, ACLs and capabilities, multilevel and multilateral security, covert channels and inference control, BLP and Biba's models, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems
* Protocols: simple authentication protocols, session keys, perfect forward secrecy, timestamps, SSL, IPSec, Kerberos, and GSM
* Software: flaws and malware, buffer overflows, viruses and worms, software reverse engineering, digital rights management, secure software development, and operating systems security

Additional features include numerous figures and tables to illustrate and clarify complex topics, as well as problems-ranging from basic to challenging-to help readers apply their newly developed skills. A solutions manual and a set of classroom-tested PowerPoint(r) slides will assist instructors in their course development. Students and professors in information technology, computer science, and engineering, and professionals working in the field will find this reference most useful to solve their information security issues.

An Instructor's Manual presenting detailed solutions to all the problems in the book is available from the Wiley editorial department.

An Instructor Support FTP site is also available.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #672065 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 416 pages

Review
"…presents information security concepts and practices insightfully in an easily comprehensible style…Although primarily intended as a college course resource, this book will appeal also to many security professionals. Highly recommended." (CHOICE, April 2006)

"The book is well suited for beginners, and contains enough introductory material on a variety of topics." (Computing Reviews.com, January 9, 2006)

From the Back Cover
Your expert guide to information security

As businesses and consumers become more dependent on complex multinational information systems, the need to understand and devise sound information security systems has never been greater. This title takes a practical approach to information security by focusing on real-world examples. While not sidestepping the theory, the emphasis is on developing the skills and knowledge that security and information technology students and professionals need to face their challenges. The book is organized around four major themes:

• Cryptography: classic cryptosystems, symmetric key cryptography, public key cryptography, hash functions, random numbers, information hiding, and cryptanalysis
• Access control: authentication and authorization, password-based security, ACLs and capabilities, multilevel and multilateral security, covert channels and inference control, BLP and Biba's models, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems
• Protocols: simple authentication protocols, session keys, perfect forward secrecy, timestamps, SSL, IPSec, Kerberos, and GSM
• Software: flaws and malware, buffer overflows, viruses and worms, software reverse engineering, digital rights management, secure software development, and operating systems security

Additional features include numerous figures and tables to illustrate and clarify complex topics, as well as problems—ranging from basic to challenging—to help readers apply their newly developed skills. A solutions manual and a set of classroom-tested PowerPoint® slides will assist instructors in their course development. Students and professors in information technology, computer science, and engineering, and professionals working in the field will find this reference most useful to solve their information security issues.

About the Author
MARK STAMP, PHD, is Professor of Computer Science, San José State University, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate-level information security courses. In addition to his experience gained in private industry and academia, Dr. Stamp has seven years' experience working as a cryptanalyst at the U.S. National Security Agency.

Customer Reviews

Excellent coverage and clarity
This text is an excellent introduction to the popular, important subjects of computer and network security, and is the best such text that I have yet seen. Professor Stamp offers clarity of presentation and a fluid, conversational style. There is an nice balance between comprehensive coverage and detailed analysis. Overall, I really like the structural organization, selection of topics, breadth of coverage, and level of difficulty. No special prerequisites are required to comprehend the basic ideas. However, readers with technical backgrounds will find a lot of material to challenge them. There are an abundance of illustrative figures, nice examples within the body of the text, and a wealth of good problems at the end of each chapter. The author provides excellent references for further study. Appendices delve into details concerning mathematical underpinnings and networking details.

The book is divided into four main parts: cryptography, access control, protocols, and software. The cryptography section introduces fascinating historical vignettes, then explores details of modern block and stream ciphers. The author includes an excellent chapter on cryptanalysis. He provides specific examples, using mathematics and Boolean logic. The access control section explains issues of policy and implementation, regarding authentication and authorization. The protocols section discusses specific mechanisms for secure exchange of confidential information. The final section describes management of software flaws and related security issues.

Excellent security text
Dr. Stamp touches many of the widely used and implemented security algorithms and techniques in today's industry. His clear and concise diagrams, examples, and thought provoking questions allow the reader to get a clear overview of the workings (positive and negative) of security technology. Mark Stamp has gathered all relevant information from a wide range of sources to produce an essential guide for information security. totally sweet

Mark does a fine job of it
Mark has written an excellent book on technical aspects of information protection. For the coverage he provides, he has done an excellent job of explaining things at a technical level suited to students in undergraduate computer science classes or other similar corporate arenas. Well written, nicely done, and well worth the price tag.