BKUNCMSC.RVW   951129
 
"The Underground Guide to Computer Security", Michael Alexander, 1996, 0-201-
48918-X, U$19.95/C$27.00
%A   Michael Alexander
%C   1 Jacob Way, Reading, MA   01867-9984
%D   1996
%G   0-201-48918-X
%I   Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.
%O   U$19.95/C$27.00 416-447-5101 fax: 416-443-0948 markj@aw.com
%O   bkexpress@aw.com 800-822-6339 617-944-3700 Fax: (617) 944-7273
%P   239
%T   "The Underground Guide to Computer Security"
 
This book is intended to address the security needs of personal (or desktop)
computers, and is one of the few that does.  The content addresses those
vulnerabilities which *do* plague workstations, and is generally free of "big
iron" paranoia and concerns.
 
Alexander's style is a bit flippant, but not at the expense of the information
being conveyed.  The organization is a trifle odd.  (The first half of the
"Safe Desktops and Laptops" chapter deals exclusively with passwords, even
though few standalone machines use them.  Password generators and
challenge/response systems, however, are covered in the chapter on networks.) 
Technical details and specific suggestions do have a number of errors,
particularly when dealing with MS-DOS.  For those in the know, the chapter on
viruses has some oddities, but nothing that would be dangerous to the user.
 
Data security is a tedious and often confusing field.  This book is only a
start, but could be quite helpful to the non-specialist.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1995   BKUNCMSC.RVW   951129

==============
Vancouver      ROBERTS@decus.ca         | "If you do buy a
Institute for  rslade@vanisl.decus.ca   |  computer, don't
Research into  Rob.Slade@f733.n153.z1/  |  turn it on."
User                      .fidonet.org  | Richards' 2nd Law
Security       Canada V7K 2G6           | of Data Security