Defend I.T.: Security by Example

"Ajay and Scott take an interesting approach in filling Defend I.T. with case studies and using them to demonstrate important security principles. This approach works well and is particularly valuable in the security space, where companies and consultants are often hesitant to discuss true security incidents for potential embarrassment and confidentiality reasons. Defend I.T. is full of engaging stories and is a good read."

--Fyodor, author of the Nmap Security Scanner and Insecure.Org

"Defend I.T. answers reader demand for scenario-driven examples. Security professionals will be able to look at these case studies and relate them to their own experiences. That sets this book apart."

--Lance Hayden, Cisco Systems

"This is an exciting book! It's like reading several mysteries at once from different viewpoints, with the added benefit of learning forensic procedures along the way. Readers will benefit from the procedures, and the entertaining presentation is a real plus."

--Elizabeth Zinkann, Equilink Consulting

The battle between IT professionals and those who use the Internet for destructive purposes is raging--and there is no end in sight. Reports of computer crime and incidents from the CERT Coordination Center at Carnegie Mellon University more than double each year and are expected to rise. Meanwhile, viruses and worms continue to take down organizations for days.

Defend I.T.: Security by Example draws on detailed war stories to identify what was done right and what was done wrong in actual computer-security attacks, giving you the opportunity to benefit from real experiences. Approaches to securing systems and networks vary widely from industry to industry and organization to organization. By examining a variety of real-life incidents companies are too embarrassed to publicly share, the authors explain what could have been done differently to avoid the losses incurred--whether creating a different process for incident response or having better security countermeasures in place to begin with.

Inside, you'll find in-depth case studies in a variety of categories:

• Basic Hacking: Blackhat bootcamp, including mapping a network, exploiting vulnerable architecture, and launching denial-of-service attacks
• Current Methods: The latest in malicious deeds, including attacks on wireless networks, viruses and worms, and compromised Web servers
• Additional Items on the Plate: Often overlooked security measures such as developing a security policy, intrusion-detection systems, disaster recovery, and government regulations
• Old School: Classic means of compromising networks--war dialing and social engineering
• Forensics: How to investigate industrial espionage, financial fraud, and network intrusion

Aimed at both information-security professionals and network administrators, Defend I.T. shows you how to tap the best computer-security practices and industry standards to deter attacks and better defend networks.

Ajay Gupta, CISSP, founder and president of Gsecurity, is an expert on cyber security, secure architecture, and information privacy. Gsecurity provides cyber security and data privacy services to federal, state, and local governments, as well as commercial clients in the educational, financial, and health-care sectors.

Scott Laliberte, CISSP, CISM, MBA, is a leader of Protiviti’s Global Information Security Practice. He has extensive experience in the areas of information systems security, network operations, incident response, and e-commerce, and has served clients in many industries, including healthcare, life sciences, financial services, manufacturing, and other industries. Scott has led many security engagements, including attack and penetration studies, Web application security reviews, systems vulnerability assessments, wireless security reviews, and security systems implementation. In addition, he has led a number of incident response projects, which help organizations identify, stop, and recover from security incidents and attacks. He has spoken on information security topics for a variety of audiences and industries, including MIS Training Institute (MISTI), National Association of Financial Services Auditors (NAFSA), ISACA, IIA, and HCCA. He has been quoted as a security expert in the Financial Times, Securities Industries News, and elsewhere, and has authored numerous information security articles for a variety of publications.