The Security Mentor

I've launched an unabashedly technical newsletter called The Security Nerd. It usually won't help or interest a normal home/small business user.

Although, anyone with a dash of curiosity might enjoy the book I just reviewed there.

Silence on the Wire, by Michal Zalewski, is a manageably short (268 pp not counting index) book that starts by explaining the basics of how networks and computers operate and goes on to show zillions of ways information can waft out of your computer. You could learn why a "switch" is better than a "hub" in your network and why a switch still doesn't prevent eavesdropping. It's a book about technically beautiful attacks, so it doesn't cover the ugly ones like spyware that are the everyday threats.

Zalewski's writing style is clear and personable. He's obviously one of those people who loves his subject so much that he wants to share it and wants you to understand what he's writing. His book should be accessible to any teenager and to any adult who likes learning new things.