Kevin Mitnik book: The Art of Deception

Internet security expert on social engineering security- the human element

Amazon.com Review
The Art of Deception is about gaining someone's trust by lying to them and then abusing that trust for fun and profit. Hackers use the euphemism "social engineering" and hacker-guru Kevin Mitnick examines many example scenarios.

After Mitnick's first dozen examples anyone responsible for organizational security is going to lose the will to live. It's been said before, but people and security are antithetical. Organizations exist to provide a good or service and want helpful, friendly employees to promote the good or service. People are social animals who want to be liked. Controlling the human aspects of security means denying someone something. This circle can't be squared.

Considering Mitnick's reputation as a hacker guru, it's ironic that the last point of attack for hackers using social engineering are computers. Most of the scenarios in The Art of Deception work just as well against computer-free organizations and were probably known to the Phoenicians; technology simply makes it all easier. Phones are faster than letters, after all, and having large organizations means dealing with lots of strangers.

Much of Mitnick's security advice sounds practical until you think about implementation, when you realize that more effective security means reducing organizational efficiency--an impossible trade in competitive business. And anyway, who wants to work in an organization where the rule is "Trust no one"? Mitnick shows how easily security is breached by trust, but without trust people can't live and work together. In the real world, effective organizations have to acknowledge that total security is a chimera--and carry more insurance. --Steve Patient, amazon.co.uk

From Publishers Weekly
Mitnick is the most famous computer hacker in the world. Since his first arrest in 1981, at age 17, he has spent nearly half his adult life either in prison or as a fugitive. He has been the subject of three books and his alleged ...



http://www.mutualfundcenter.com

http://www.atlanticfinancial.com http://www.fentonreport.com/2004/05/21/economy/strong-dollar-or-weak-dollar/58
http://www.fentonreport.com/2004/05/24/wealth-management/market-terms/59
http://www.fentonreport.com/2004/05/31/health-living/money-and-trees/60

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• kevin
• mitnik
• hacker
• computer
• spy
• spying
• china
• fbi
• pc
• fraud
• sneaky
• cia
• nsa
• codes

[myscrooge]

"48 laws of power" and "33 strategies of war" I mean, and yeah paranoia messes with everyone. "Superior minds see the simplicity in everything, everything else see's the complexity."

[myscrooge]

Hey can you do a review on 48 laws of power and 33 strategies? I've read both and I'm interested in your views, obviously since you own your own successful business. Both of the books I've read very thoroughly and have comprehended very well. The world is a very violent place and I expect the future to be very blue collar and technological with everything being far more computerized than it already is, and I want to see these books with an up to date review from a business intellect. Thanks.