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Editor's Choice Book
Absolute Beginner's Guide To: Security, Spam, Spyware & Viruses
The Absolute Beginner's Guide To: Security, Spam, Spyware & Viruses (Retail $21.99), written by Andy Walker, from Que Publishing, is a superbly written how-to book that is truly designed for the absolute beginner. Andy Walker does a fine job in defining the various threats and providing specific steps to protect yourself and your computer. Throughout the book there are cautions, notes and tips, set apart from the text with whimsical characters giving you important information that might easily get lost in longer narrative.
The photos of specific PC screens, referred to in the text, are extremely clear and very readable. At the end of each chapter there is a shaded box titled The Absolute Minimum, which provides a great summary of the important items in the chapter. The sections within each chapter are well designed and seem to carry you through in a very natural thought process. Andy writes in a very conversational manner. His style is pleasant, yet packed with a lot of detailed information.
We have reviewed a lot of books over the past several years and seldom recommend one as a Computer Times Editor's Choice, as few stand out from the rest. This book is truly an exception. It is not the typical boring technical book with a few jokes and puns to classify it as a beginner's book. It was written from the ground up with the beginner in mind, yet has enough meat to keep the expert user's attention. I found myself marking several pages so I could easily find them later. Many of my marked pages included critical actions that really must be taken to protect a PC from various threats. While I already knew most of them, in this busy world of publishing I was not certain they had been performed on some of the newer computers in the office.
The Absolute Beginner's Guide To: Security, Spam, Spyware & Viruses is a book that should be on the desk of every PC user. It should be read from cover to cover and every recommended action in the book should be taken to protect yourself from viruses, scam artists, hackers, identity thieves, and spammers. Read on for further details about this book and its contents.
Pub Date: November 09, 2005
Print ISBN-10: 0-7897-3459-1
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-7897-3459-4
Pages: 384
Chapter Overview
Chapter 1-Viruses: Attack of the Malicious Programs
Chapter 2-Spyware: Overrun by Advertisers, Hijackers, and Opportunists
Chapter 3-Hackers: There's a Man in My Machine
Chapter 4-Identity Thieves and Phishers: Protect Your Good Name and Bank Account
Chapter 5-Spam: Unwanted Email from Hell
Chapter 6-Wireless Network Snoops: Lock Down Your Wi-Fi Network
Chapter 7-Privacy Snoops: Cover Your Tracks and Your Reputation
Chapter 8-Let's Smash-Proof Windows: Tweak Windows XP Nice and Tight
Chapter 9-Starting from the Beginning: Wiping a Hard Drive and Rebuilding from the Ground Up
Chapter 10-Ongoing Maintenance: Fend Off Future Threats!
Chapter 11-Selecting Software: Steals, Deals, and Software Duds
Chapter 12-Tools of the Trade: Security Products You Should Own
Glossary
Table of Contents
Part I: Security Basics: Some Very Real Threats
Chapter 1. Viruses: Attack of the Malicious Programs
What Is a Computer Virus?
Viruses: As Many Kinds As Sniffles in Kindergarten
Who Creates Computer Viruses?
What Not to Do!
When Viruses Attack!
Now I Have Your Attention...
Antivirus Checkup: 10-Minute Tactics
Fortify Your Computer: Strong Virus Defense in a Few Hours
No Worm in My Apple?
Is That a Virus in Your Pocket?
Chapter 2. Spyware: Overrun by Advertisers, Hijackers, and Opportunists
What Is Spyware?
What Does Spyware Do and Why Is It Bad?
How Does Spyware Sneak onto My Computer?
Types of Spyware: Snoops, Adware, Cookies, and More
Who Is at Risk?
How Do I Know If I Have Spyware?
Defend Yourself Against Spyware
Ban All Spies: Strong Spyware Defense in an Afternoon
Chapter 3. Hackers: There's a Man in My Machine
What Is a Hacker?
Who Are the Hackers?
What Damage Can Hackers Do?
Targets of a Hack Attack
Hacker Motivation: I Think Therefore I Hack
Tools of the Trade: Pass Me a Trojan Horse, Would You?
Firewall: Shut Out the Hackers
Software Firewalls: Programs That Stop Hackers
How to Detect a Hacker Attack
How to Fix a Hacker Attack
Batten down the Hatches-10-Minute Tactics
Wall off the World-Install a Better Firewall in an Afternoon
Chapter 4. Identity Thieves and Phishers: Protect Your Good Name and Bank Account
What Is Identity Theft?
What Is Phishing?
How Does Phishing Work?
What Is Pharming?
What Damage Can Be Done By Phishing?
Who Is at Risk? Everyone!
Don't Get Phished: 10-Minute Tactics to Stay Off the Hook
Ensure You Are You: Take an Afternoon to Protect Your Identity
Chapter 5. Spam: Unwanted Email from Hell
What Is Spam?
Why Does Spam Keep Coming?
Why Doesn't Someone Stop the Spammers?
How Do Spammers Get My Email Address?
The Damage Spam Can Do
Kill More Spam-In an Afternoon
Chapter 6. Wireless Network Snoops: Lock Down Your Wi-Fi Network
What Is a Wireless Home Network?
What Damage Can a Wireless Network Snoop Dish Out?
Who Are the Snoopers?
Your Wi-Fi Network Is Full of Holes!
First Line of Defense: Secure Your Wi-Fi Network
Detecting a Visit from a Wireless Snoop
I'm Under Attack! What to Do If You Discover a Wireless Network Snoop
Wireless Security Workup: Quick Tactics and Some That Take a Little More Time
Chapter 7. Privacy Snoops: Cover Your Tracks and Your Reputation
Why Your Privacy Is Important
What You Leave Behind on Your Computer
Who Are the Privacy Snoops?
The Consequences of Being Caught
Emergency Tactics-I Am Being Snooped On!
Obscure Your Trail-In About 10 Minutes
Cover Your Tracks-In an Afternoon
Clean Multimedia Players
Part II: Strategies for safe and secure computing
Chapter 8. Let's Smash-Proof Windows: Tweak Windows XP Nice and Tight
If Windows XP Is a Dike, You're a Little Dutch Boy
Chapter 9. Starting from the Beginning: Wiping a Hard Drive and Rebuilding from the Ground Up
Light the Fuse and Stand Back
Let's Get Started
Step 1: Download Drivers and Software You Need for the Re-install
Step 2: Back Up!
Step 3: Pull the Plug on the Network
Step 4: Wipe Away Windows
Step 5: Re-install Windows
Step 6: Re-install Your Drivers
Step 7: Install Protection Against Malware
Step 8a: Install Windows XP Service Pack 2 (from CD)
Step 8b: Install SP2 from the Internet
Step 9: Configure Your Security Settings
Step 10: Install Firefox
Step 11: Configure Your Networking
Step 12: Update Windows with All Recent Security Patches
Step 13: Update All of Your Security Programs and Security Signatures
Step 14: Activate Windows
Step 15: Re-install Your Programs
Step 16: Other Things You Can Do
Chapter 10. Ongoing Maintenance: Fend Off Future Threats!
Note to Self: Keep Computer Secure
Daily Routines: Walk the Dog, Feed the Kids, and Secure the Computer
Weekly Routines: How to Never Be Bored on Saturday Morning
Monthly Routines: Clean the Garage, Trim the Hedge, and Update Windows
Bathe Once a Year Whether You Need It and Reformat and Re-install, Too
Part III: Tools for Maintenance and Protection
Chapter 11. Selecting Software: Steals, Deals, and Software Duds
Security Software: Nothing in Life Is Free, Except Software
Weirdware: When It's Not Payware or Freeware
What Should I Pay for My Security Toolbox?
Choosing the Right Security Software
Chapter 12. Tools of the Trade: Security Products You Should Own
Which Security Software Is Right for You?
Antivirus Programs
Anti-Spyware
Firewalls
Anti-Spam
Part IV: Appendixes
Glossary
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