Hacked: The Secrets Behind Cyber Attacks

by Dr Jessica Barker

When it comes to cyber attacks, everyone's a potential victim. But you don't have to be helpless against these threats.

Hacked offers the knowledge and strategies you need to protect yourself and your business. In this book, cybersecurity expert Jessica Barker uncovers how hackers are weaponizing cutting-edge tactics and technologies to target individuals and organizations, before showing how you can safeguard yourself against any potential attacks and how to react if you do become a target.

Featuring expert commentary from world-leading cybersecurity experts and ethical hackers, this book uncovers the fascinating stories of the most insidious and notorious cyber attacks, including how the Mirai malware almost took down the internet and how a supply chain attack infiltrated the US government and other global institutions.

From social engineering and data theft to ransomware and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, there are numerous strategies that hackers use to target our finances and data. Uncover their secrets and learn how to safeguard your data with Hacked.

Genres: Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

Published April 30, 2024

Reviews

[Glo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think a book like "Hacked" is a must-read for anyone who is using the internet nowadays.
In this book we can get a broad perspective of the different threats and tricks used to mislead us and tips to defend us. It is educational and accessible to laypeople.

Thanks to Dr. Jessica Barker and NetGalley for the ARC copy.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am the first to admit I don't know a huge amount about computers or how they can be used for hacking. When I saw this book I decided to give it a go and see if I could increase my knowledge so that I could understand more. I am aware of having strong passwords, not opening links in emails, if something is too good to be true then it is, and never giving details of PINs. As I said all very basic.

THis book was ideal for me as it gave the information and the facts in a basic way. I wasn't left scratching my head and wondering what this was all about and feeling lost. The author gives the facts in a way that makes sense. So, yes, this is definitely aimed at the lower end of the tech-head ladder.

The author takes the reader through various things such as phishing, trojans, ransomware, worms, malware, cyber-attacks and a lot more. When she started to give numbers that were in the billions of dollars and how large companies could be held to ransom it was shocking.

From the very first bug to the latest attacks, the author explains the most significant ones and tells how criminals were able to get into systems. With the emergence of Bitcoin, this is a way of keeping things hidden.

The author has a great way of explaining her findings and the data citing various papers and articles all the way. This was an an eye-opener for sure and one that I also actually, really enjoyed reading.

If you have an interest in technology and how it can be misused and you don't really have a tech background or understanding then this is one you may find useful I certainly did. Interesting and quite addictive, one I would happily recommend.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the first thing I have to say about this book is that I am not very techie at all. I can use a computer for the basics but I’m very wary about what I put out there as I know there’s a lot I don’t know. Dr Jessica Barker has written a book that really resonated with me. I understood most of it and I appreciated that she puts guidance on each chapter about how to protect yourself against the various risks she describes.

The book is organised into chapters dealing with different types of cybercrime. There is a lot of detail and it’s a very readable book. It is also very shocking. There will always be people who exploit weakness and use their skills for ill reasons but it’s good to know that there are also people who want to stop them.

Recommended for anyone who wants to understand the risks of everyday computer use and read interesting stories of criminal behaviour.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

[Alison Bradbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book about Hacking and all its various forms and how it has evolved over the last couple of decades. From the early days of worms and trojan horses to the more recent phenomenon of romance scams and AI manipulation.

While the content is very detailed and the chapters allow you to jump in and out in any order, often linking you to more relevant information in other chapters, the read is a little dry. At times I felt like I was reading a thesis paper rather than something for the general public that could be used to help people to better protect themselves and their data.

There are tips at the end of each chapter and the book does have some good advice, but there were whole sections that just went over my head and that I struggled to get a grasp on.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[J Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read book
This book is packed with information about the many scams carried out by various electronic means including telephone as well. At first I thought this would depress me, but it did not as there is also much coverage of the ways such frauds are being compared and those responsible caught and punished. It is though an on going battle and is in the best interests of all of us,particularly when using the Internet.
Jessica Barker is renown in working to combat these scammers and manages to cram details of the many types of scams from the earliest ones right up to the present day. Each type is covered in great detail and there are comprehensive references for further reading at the end of each chapter.
Don't miss it or you may be caught out!

[Georgie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hacked is a great resource for those who do not come across cyber security in their day to day lives. I have worked in IT for many years so not much new for me. There are so many good human interest examples and the way Jessica explains everything is really straight forward which is fabulous for someone who isn't a techy. Even the vast amount of data she presents is non technical which is great. I'd have no problem recommending this book to my friends who aren't as tech savvy.

[BookCrazy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hacked is a super informative and easy-to-read book about cybersecurity. Dr. Barker breaks down everything from ransomware to phishing in a way that anyone can understand, even if you're not tech-savvy. The real-world stories and expert tips make it feel really relatable, and there’s plenty of advice on how to protect yourself and your business from hackers. If you want to feel more secure online without getting lost in technical jargon, this book is definitely worth checking out!

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was another book I picked up to kill time when there was nothing else to do at work, and I got more or less what I expected out of it. It's not so much a guide for understanding types of cyber attacks as just a list of definitions, and considering how recently it was published, it feels outdated. It was just barely engaging enough to pass a couple of hours when I was very limited on options, but I promise I didn't learn anything new and I won't remember a word of it by tomorrow.

[karla JR · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to delve into the world of cybersecurity and cyberattacks. It presents the information in an approachable manner, making it easy to understand even for beginners. Although the topic is not new, the author has done an excellent job of simplifying it, making it an informative and educational read.

[Sarah (blissbubbley) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these types of books for a research type style and the ability to go back to it and refresh your memory. I think this is more for those wanting to low at a very beginner level about hacking, I feel I’m more on the other side of it. But really good and will serve some as a good reminder as to how to be safe online.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book I found lots of interesting information about cyber attacks and cybersecurity with tips and strategies to help you stay secure and keep your information safe.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kogan Page Ltd for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s so many words you can use to describe this book - enlightening, scary, fascinating and even worrying! It was interesting to read how many ways people/companies can be taken advantage of some by very elaborate was, others by being fooled or equally by being daft!

[Dan McLellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good depiction of the variety of threats, what they are, how they work, and how to protect your self against them.

This insight into the world of cyber crime is a great read for a novice in cyber security or someone more adverse.

[Ellis Holden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd put this in the horror section. Futuristic tech impersonating loved ones and taking every penny you own is pretty terrifying stuff. So is the lack of justice in international hacks from foreign adversaries like "Evil Corp" in Russia.

[Mike Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good primer on cyber basics with some good historical info

[Zo Smi · Rating 5 out of 5]

[ARC review] The topic is highly relevant as cybercrime and identity theft continue to be on the rise, and is projected to only get worse.

However, I'm not sure whether a lengthy book on this topic is the best medium for raising awareness of it among the general populace, and the book is arguably not revealing "secrets" as the title suggests. There are already many videos on the likes of YouTube that show different types of online scamming attemts in action. Being able to present the faces and voices of real humans in those videos creates a very powerful and memorable effect, and makes it easier to educate more vulnerable members of the family in particular.

Perhaps the merits of this book is that the author explains terms very clearly and supports points with lots of statistics and research. That the book is rigorously filled with data and case examples therefore makes the book highly suited to students starting out in cybercrime studies or commercial fraud issues, while at the same time still being accessible enough for the average joe reader who just wants to understand a bit more about the fundamentals of cybercrime. To increase readership among the general public, it could have been an idea to have included a few diagrammatic visuals to illustrate/consolidate cybercrime pathways discussed in the book in order to facilitate grasping the "big picture" elements. Otherwise, I would struggle somewhat to identify a broader readership.

The book is essentially a formalized thorough introduction to a range of cybercrimes. Just don't read it before bedtime if you want to sleep soundly!

[Vik Paw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight into cybersecurity for both novices and techies alike. Although on first look I thought this would be boring or cover things I already knew and understood well, this was a great resource collating together all the various topics. Explanations are good enough for a beginner to start to get a grip on the subject matter and plenty of examples and shocking facts to keep all levels of reader turning the pages. There’s nothing much new here for an expert, and was a little annoyed by a bunch of typos but on the whole a useful read which I brought up a number of times in conversations with colleagues and have recommended the book many times as a useful reference. Amazing to have all the sources included too!
#Hacked #NetGalley #KoganPage #DrJessicaBarker