Art of Intrusion Book Reviews

Review By Joe Accardi, William Rainey Harper College Library, Palatine, IL
"Infamous criminal hacker turned computer security consultant Mitnick offers an expert sequel to his best-selling The Art of Deception , this time supplying real-life rather than fictionalized stories of contemporary hackers sneaking into corporate servers worldwide. Each chapter begins with a computer crime story that reads like a suspense novel; it is a little unnerving to learn how one's bank account is vulnerable to digital thieves or how hackers with an interest in gambling can rake in thousands of dollars in just minutes at a compromised slot machine. The hack revealed, Mitnick then walks readers step by step through a prevention method. Much like Deception , this book illustrates that hacking techniques can penetrate corporate and government systems protected by state-of-the-art security. Mitnick's engaging writing style combines intrigue, entertainment, and education. As with Deception , information technology professionals can learn how to detect and prevent security breaches, while informed readers can sit back and enjoy the stories of cybercrime. Recommended for most public and academic libraries."

Review By Tony Bradley, CISSP
"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found it as entertaining as I did enlightening. It boggles the mind sometimes to contemplate the tremendous brilliance that goes into these illegal deeds. Imagine how much could be accomplished if these geniuses would use their knowledge and skills for good.

Each of the stories in this book provides a look at a different sort of attack. They provide some insight into why the attackers did what they did, how they were able to accomplish it and what sort of damage was incurred. In some cases the story-teller was never actually detected or caught so the story is told anonymously to protect the attacker's identity.

Mitnick and Simon interlace some commentary within the stories where it seems warranted, but their main contribution is at the end of each story. The information provided in the Insights and Countermeasures section can help a network or security administrator put the story in context and determine proactive steps that might protect them from being victimized by a similar attack.

Whether for entertainment or education I recommend this book. I look forward to reading Mitnick's own personal hacking exploits once the gag order has expired."