Steal This Computer Book 3: What They Won't Tell You about the Internet

by Wallace Wang

Book Overview

This offbeat, non-technical book looks at what hackers do, how they do it, and how you can protect yourself. The third edition of this bestseller (over 150,000 copies sold) adopts the same... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1593270003
• ISBN13: 9781593270001
• Release Date: May 2003
• Publisher: No Starch Press
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.9" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A book for those who want to know the Internet

This is a very interesting book, full of web links, tips and Internet resources. This reminds me of another earlier book on Internet web resources but on different topics. Sharing files seems so harmless, and yet it touches on many aspects of our lives. From downloading the innocent MP3 music, to sharing the pirated software (i.e., warez), to browsing pornographic images, this shows how easy one can cross the line. This is certainly a book for the security professionals who would like to have a better understanding of how the hacking underground works, how the secret trading is done from using newsgroups, IRC chats to how hackers use peer-to-peer file sharing technologies such as eDonkey, Kazza, bit Torrent, to distribute their files/secrets. It is also a book for anyone who simply wants to have an awareness of what is out there. The book also explains how hacker hides his identity in this digital world. In addition to explaining how these technologies can be used, the author also provides suggestions for readers how to protect their systems from having worm, and/or virus attacks. The author also provides a list of freeware for anti-virus protection for those who cannot afford to buy, as well as providing alterative open software for office and photoshops utilities. Lastly, the author talks about copyright laws and what the future holds, giving his opinion on whether how we could adapt to the file sharing technologies. All in all, this is a very informative book. It certainly is an eye-opener.

Great Book

This book is amazing. It teaches you everything you need to know about all the dark secrets surrounding the hacker world and how to protect yourself. All the way from finding out how Remote Access Trojans are created to phone phreaking. The book starts off very slow with text about white supremacy and why/how racists post their views and opinions on the internet. That was really the only boring part of the book and it seemed kind of off-topic at times. Everything else included in this book is amazing. The examples and website referring is a big help. For example: the book teaches you about a subject...such as how hackers create their programs (using such languages as C++ and Delphi), then it gives you many examples of their programs and what their programs do, then gives you multiple websites to go to if you're interested in viewing the source code of these programs or the programs themselves. The author has great writing skills and makes the book humerous at times by showing the true facts about the internet and certain companies...oh, and cracking a joke here and there about the neo-nazis and their little websites. If you're a person who is trying to protect oneself from hackers, crackers, etc or if you're a white hat hacker who is trying to work on your skill, then this is the book for you. Remember, this book doesn't teach you how to hack maliciously, but teaches you how the hackers work their magic.Other topics this book covers is:1) How to find a relative or close friend using the internet.2) How to set up a firewall and why their usage is important.3) How to protect yourself from idnetity theft, spammers, hackers, and much more.

Abbie Would Be Proud

Abbie Hoffman if he were alive today would be impressed with the job Wallace has done writing this book about the "dark underside" of the Internet, not to mention coining the title of Abbie's now famous tome "Steal This Book." From hate groups on the net to censored web sites to ways to get around "filtering software" to ways to protect yourself and your computer from getting viruses, this book contains a wealth of information you probably won't find in other computer books.The book is divided into five main parts and several appendices. Part 1 titled "Information Overload" deals with subjects like finding information by using search engines, methods of finding "alternative sources of news," getting past Internet filters and parental control software, online activism, and hate groups. Part 2 discusses "Internet Threats," like viruses, and Internet con games. Part 3 describes how to "break in and enter a computer (and it's fairly easy to do) and Part 4 discusses how to keep people from breaking in to your computer (nice of Wallace to do that I'd say), as well as a great chapter called "Computing on a Shoestring (finding cheap computers and software for it). Part 5 also discusses ways to protect your computer (firewalls, ways to delete sensitive data beyond recovery) and the book's first Appendix describes software that can be used for all of these various computer tasks. Another appendix describes a "hacker's gallery of rogue tools" for "hacking" or "cracking other folks' computers.Wang takes great pains to say that none of these tools or information should be used to do anything illegal, however I suspect a number of people will anyway. Still, I feel it's better to be prepared for that possibility than to do nothing when it comes to using your computer or being on the Internet.I found this book to be a valuable resource, one that I intend to refer to whenever a privacy or "hacker issue" comes up for me.

An absolute "must-read" for anyone with a desktop computer

Steal This Computer Book 3: What They Won't Tell You About The Internet by computer journalist and stand-up comic Wallace Wang is a "reader friendly" instructional guide for computer users of all ages, experience levels, and backgrounds with respect to the hazards of the internet and how to protect themselves. From recognizing bad news; to protecting oneself from viruses and trojan horses; to waging war on spam, blocking pop-ups, and guarding against online stalkers, Steal This Computer Book 3 is an absolute "must-read" for anyone with a desktop computer and in need of conducting digital self-defense.

THE hacking book for newbies.

No, you wont be a master-hacker by reading this book. You will however get a solid understanding of the popular techniques used and the more popular underground software. This is WAY better than Carolyn P. Meinel's Happy Hacker. I would also suggest Network Admins take a look at this & familiarize themselves w/ the more popular techniques of today's script kiddies. This book is about concepts more than technique specifics. Very concise and easy to understand for the non-733+ and the freebie software has some very cool toys.