Book details of 'Hack Proofing Your Identity'

Title	Hack Proofing Your Identity
Author(s)	Teri Bidwell
ISBN	1931836515
Language	English
Published	June 2002
Publisher	Syngress

---

Back to shelf Computer security
Amazon.com info for Hack Proofing Your Identity

Score:

Vote for this book

The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Hack Proofing Your Identity':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
Chapter one does say a bit about what identity theft is, and suggests some basic protections against it. The rest of the book, however, seems to be just another attempt to provide an "easy" security book for home users. And it doesn't do it very well. Chapter two is a miscellaneous grab bag. It recommends keeping all your files in a standard place (bad), has some nice content on cleaning up temporary files (good), suggests novice users change the Registry (dangerous), promotes the use of a power on password (good), has rotten material on viruses and trojans (conflicting definitions on facing pages as well as a confusion of adware and spyware, although it does get a point for mentioning F-Prot), insists users install all patches (possibly bad), outlines how to set up multiple accounts (good), and has some decent advice on choosing passwords (also good). There is a range of information on email security in chapter three, although the details are questionable. The "man-in-the-middle" attack is described as TCP hijacking and is said to be foiled by cryptography, when, in fact, it is usually an attack on cryptography. There is good advice on scams. Web security, in chapter four, is heavy on cookies and e-commerce, and light on many more serious issues. Chapter five is generic Internet connection information. It defines a sniffer correctly once but elsewhere as a keylogger, and oversimplifies firewalls. Random topics loosely related by being popular with kids make up chapter six. Chapter seven does return to the topic of identity theft and discusses what to do if it occurs. Some of the advice is helpful (particularly if you live in the US), but most is vague common sense. There is a repeat of the material (with slightly more detail) on firewalls and browser settings, in chapter eight. There is little here that is specific to the titular topic. As for a general security text, Jeff Crume (see reviews) as well as Cronkhite and McCullough (see reviews) have already done it better. copyright Robert M. Slade, 2002
Add my review for Hack Proofing Your Identity

Book description:

If you’re like most people, your day includes writing checks or using a debit card at stores, using credit cards at the gas station, or using an ATM terminal to get cash. If you’re among the growing numbers of Internet users, you’ve probably also bought a thing or two online, and might even do your banking or trade stocks online. If more than half of the following statements are true, you are at high risk for identity theft: . n You receive at least one loan solicitation or preapproved credit offer each week. · n You usually toss preapproved credit or loan solicitations in the trash without shredding. · n You usually toss old banking or credit documents in the trash without shredding. · n Mail is delivered to you in an unlocked mailbox. · n You send mail by placing it in an unlocked mailbox. · n You carry your Social Security or Social Insurance card in your wallet. · n Your Social Security Number is printed on the health insurance card in your wallet. · n Your Social Security Number is printed on your driver’s license. · n Your Social Security or driver’s license number is printed on your personal checks. · n You make occasional or frequent purchases online using a credit card. · n You seldom check whether a site is "secure" before using a credit card to make an online purchase or before disclosing private data, such as your Social Security Number, to a Web site. · n You seldom read Web site privacy policies before disclosing private information. · n Your online account with your bank, health insurer, or stockbroker uses your SSN as your account number. · n Your bank doesn’t require a password before allowing you to make a withdrawal in person. · n The password for your online bank account is written down in an unlocked location. · n Your ATM PIN is written down in your wallet or on the ATM card. · n You sometimes share your name, address, e-mail address, and/or phone number with Web sites. · n You don’t use privacy software to remove identifying information from your computer. · n You seldom take advantage of programs designed to opt-out of information sharing. · n You haven’t seen your credit report in the past year. n Your Internet-connected computer stores private or financial information and is not protected from the Internet by both a firewall and antivirus software.