Hack Attacks Revealed: A Complete Reference with Custom Security Hacking Toolkit

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Summary: Spread like Wildfire? Don't think so.
Review: I've heard a lot of cliche's about this book, but the one that I found the most amusing is that it would 'spread like wildfire.' Well, weighing in at over 1300 pages, the first two Hack Attack books certainly could be used as excellent kindling. And this is the best use of these books. You will feel no remorse should you burn each and every page of these wretched books on a cold cold night. Have no pangs of guilt, there's nothing useful in these books at all. Don't be fooled by the thickness, it's very light on content, and heavy on screen shots and source code listings. You can find better references in one fifth the page count.

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Summary: Hack Attacks Revealed a Must for Network Admins
Review: Very useful resource for any network administrator. The insight gained from reading the information John has given is an asset to network security. I plan on purchasing John's other books as well.

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Summary: Hack Attacks Revealed
Review: With this book I was able to thoroughly examine my network for unwanted open ports and potential security vulnerabilities. When a new vulnerability was discovered, I used Hack Attacks Denied to test and close the hole. Also I'm way too busy to check BugTraq or read my vendor's security advisories regularly. My solution: I went to join the companion website to get daily updates of new advisories for my Win Lin/Unix stations. Very convenient. Thank you.

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Summary: Hack's Attacks
Review: I have been taking network security courses for the last year. My teacher told me about the book so I got it. I am glad I did The author goes through step by step on computer vulnerabilities. I wish he was my teacher in person. I learned more in two days than in months of boring computer classes. I would reccomend this book to begining students or computer professionals. This is a must have in your computer library.

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Summary: not surprised
Review: with all the controversy i see here i had to see the book for myself. i wasnt going to buy it but after looking at it in b&n i did. i don't know about it being a complete reference but its very stinkin close to it. i found info on everything hacking, proggies, code, scripts, technology guides. i'm not surprised its a 5star book!! im going to buy the next one when im finished.

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Summary: When you reach Maximum boredom capacity
Review: When you reach Maximum boredom capacity turn to this book. I bought the Hack Attack series back when they came out and was really annoyed that I had wasted my money on them. They didn't teach me a thing, even though they were extreemly long and filled with what *looked* like lots of interesting information. Unfortunately it was all unclear and outdated information. However last night I couldn't sleep at all, try as I might. In a fit of brilliance I took out the Hack Attack books to read, and I was out like a light. Didn't require anything of my brain, and put me right to sleep. That's what these books are good for.

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Summary: Top Resource
Review: By far one of the best books in regards to Computer Hacking Information that I have read. I have purchased many other books on this subject, but this one is one of the best.

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Summary: From newbie to intermediate
Review: This book is very good for a newbie to a intermediate hacker. It is also good for stupid users (all the computer illiterates out there) and lamers, for it gives them a chance to improve themselves. It helps to remove the misconception that hackers are evil. Also gives some general concepts and info on hacking culture and some techniques.

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Summary: This book is great
Review: Ok, at first I thought this book was a bit [weak], but I am a network & security admin with a large organization. Later I realized that this was the perfect introduction to the ordinary 'man on the internet' and lent it to some friends who we somewhat less 'computer literate'. They loved it, one saying that 'now i understand computers' and another saying about how they had been 'trying to understand the internet' but 'everything they read was gibberish' until they read this book. So this book is great.

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Summary: Padded to the brim with irrelevant information
Review: I'm afraid I can't recommend this book, being one of the least useful and most poorly written "security" books I've seen. It is padded out with so many pages of useless programming listings and voluminous other unnecessary tables, screendumps and incorrect information it is embarrassing. Take for example an entire chapter devoted to the "C" programming language that goes into detail describing MS-DOS 16-bit pointer types and how to write a DOS TSR program. This was obviously culled from some programming reference from the mid 80s. How relevant is this to security in this day and age? How relevant is this particular chapter even to *programming* in this day and age? Answer: none. And I'm afraid the same goes for the bulk of the book. This is security for twinkies!