BKSTNHOB.RVW   20051023

"Stealing the Network: How to Own the Box", Ryan Russell et al, 2003,
1-931836-87-6, C$49.95/U$69.95
%A   Ryan Russell et al BlueBoar@thievco.com
%C   800 Hingham Street, Rockland, MA   02370
%D   2003
%G   1-931836-87-6
%I   Syngress Media, Inc.
%O   C$49.95/U$69.95 781-681-5151 fax: 781-681-3585 amy@syngress.com
%O  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1931836876/robsladesinterne
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1931836876/robsladesinte-21
%O   http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/1931836876/robsladesin03-20
%O   Audience i Tech 2 Writing 2 (see revfaq.htm for explanation)
%P   303 p.
%T   "Stealing the Network: How to Own the Box"

Like the subsequent "Stealing the Network: How to Own a Continent"
(cf. BKSTNHOC.RVW), this is a work that uses fiction to try to
demonstrate some of the techniques and dangers involved in computer
intrusion.  In this case, the individual stories stand alone, rather
than being tied in a narrative thread, no matter how tenuous.

Chapter one outlines standard discovery and enumeration.  It is very
difficult to say what chapter two is about: it mentions worm
operations and disassembly, but also has a great deal of irrelevant
narrative.  A grab bag of industrial espionage makes up chapter three,
mostly to do with physical access.  Standard intrusion, with a minor
in printers, makes up the thread in chapter four.

Chapter five notes the more difficult task of directed intrusion.  The
dangers of wireless LANs are reviewed in chapter six.  Chapter seven
deals primarily with social engineering.  The gathering of information
from publicly available sources is outlined in chapter eight, which
also examines physical social engineering.  Chapter nine is entitled
"BabelNet," and this is oddly appropriate in view of the perplexing
narrative, but there are some interesting ideas about net scanning and
mapping.  Network forensic tracking of an intruder is explained in
chapter ten.  Final advice on security is listed in an appendix.

The book is fiction, and therefore (in most places) easier to read
than a technical work.  It does provide some indication of the
possibilities of intrusions.  Personally, I didn't find it either as
interesting or as useful as "How to Own the Continent," but I can't
find really solid reasons why.

copyright Robert M. Slade, 2005   BKSTNHOB.RVW   20051023