Stealing the Network: How to Own an Identity

Fine

If you have undertaken efforts to protect your identity from theft, have you thought to check on the credit reports of your children? I certainly had not, but this is one of the hidden gems/tips in the just published How To Own an Identity (Raven Adler, Jay Beale, et al, Syngress Press, 2005, 450 Pages, ISBN 1597490067), the third book in Syngress' Stealing the Network series.While not the best book in the series (I believe the second book, How to Own A Continent, holds this distinction). But it is still a very good read, offering insights into how your identity is not only vulnerable to theft by individual hackers, but how these hackers may be just a pawn in larger attacks by organized crime and other groups. Like the first two books in the series, this book is presented as fiction laced with technical fact and education. The main characters are much the same, but you are given new insights and backstories about them.You may think you know a lot about social engineering, but this art form takes on new meaning and perspective when you read Chapter 6, "The Java Script Cafe". In fact this chapter provides a good back drop that leads to revelations on how a hacker might turn the tables on the very people they were trying to serve. The book may also make you think twice about how much the government may not be on your side in protecting you identity, whether it be by siding with the companies that buy and sell your information in the marketplace, or even some unnamed agencies that you think are working for you.It all makes for a very good read, but at the same time it does not flow together as well as the first two titles in the series. This may be a case of just too many authors contributing to one book, which is unfortunate. But it does not mean you should not read the book. It is an important topic to understand or at least try to. Some portions may be too technical for nontechnical readers, but that should not dissuade this potential audience.Now go and check your childrens' credit reports. I know that I am.The ScorecardBirdie on A Downwind Par 5 Easily Reachable in 2

Following in the tradition of the previous books of the "Stealing the Network" series and several other O'Reilly computer security books, this installment gives an interesting view of identity theft and how it can be used. The editors assembled a wide range of computer security talent to show the way identity theft can be abused for crime. This work of fiction is closer to truth than you'd wish possible. These sobering tales of computer exploits explains the motto "Control Information, Control Life."It's a scary thought that this much information (and therefore power) is so easily available online.The book makes an interesting point about how some people will be secure in protecting their personal information, but then post genealogy information online freely without realizing its value to crackers.Learning to "know your enemy" in the computer realm requires a pirate's intuition, savvy? Chapter 2 is a neat scenario for creating and cracking codes. My wonder is where did all the money comes from and what was his father up to? Chapter 3 sounds frightfully easy to do - knowledge is power.The stories are compelling and interesting, arousing both fear and intrigue. This shows how close fiction and real life can be. Parts of the book and the ending are somewhat hard to follow and I found the ending disappointing. Although you get the endgame of the story, it'd like to learn more about the lessons learned from such an experience. In thinking through all these activities, what can be learned for prevention of identity theft for our individual, business, and government responsibilities?The book doesn't fully address the added possibilities of fraud, cyber stalking, information abuse, blackmail, and spamming that these cyber capabilities allow.

This book is disturbing-it's so insanely simple to steal an identity. But this shock is not without purpose. Through reading the very entertaining anecdotes about social engineering, hacking, and just plain fraud, you get a sense of what can be done to protect your identity.The book is different from what you might expect. Rather than chapter after chapter about how to do this or that, this book reads more like a novel. Through the story you get a little entertainment, learn a little about security, and learn a little about identity theft. It's a very different type of book than I was expecting, but I think it works well. In fact, I wonder if the only way you could write a "how-to" book of sorts on identity theft would be to write it the way this book is written.This certainly isn't a book that I'd pull out and read over and over, like many of my reference books. This is a book I would read once, then think about for a very long time. Like I said, it's unlike anything I was ever expecting-in a good way. Do check this one out.

This book is a good read for people who are technical, but not information security experts. I see from Amazon that there are other books in the series; I will definitely be reading them soon.It is a fictionalized account of people (on both sides of the enforcement/criminal side) who are dealing with identity theft and forgery. I would recommend that anyone who has questions about identity theft gives this book a look - it's definitely opened my eyes.The technical sections are useful illustrations for those who understand them, but the main thrust of the book is in the concepts applied. Anyone who does not understand the details of the technical approaches would still be able to understand the plot movement and basic areas where they may want to bolster their own identity security.

Good enough

I have read quite a lot of "hacker" books, but most of them lack realism. This book (and the other books in this series) is very real-life and contains many technical details that are verifyable for professionals in this field.Also, when you like technical details that is ;-) the book is a good read and has (again) realistic hacker stories.