Cyber Security and IT Infrastructure Protection

by John R. Vacca

This book serves as a security practitioner’s guide to today’s most crucial issues in cyber security and IT infrastructure. It offers in-depth coverage of theory, technology, and practice as they relate to established technologies as well as recent advancements. It explores practical solutions to a wide range of cyber-physical and IT infrastructure protection issues.

Composed of 11 chapters contributed by leading experts in their fields, this highly useful book covers disaster recovery, biometrics, homeland security, cyber warfare, cyber security, national infrastructure security, access controls, vulnerability assessments and audits, cryptography, and operational and organizational security, as well as an extensive glossary of security terms and acronyms.

Written with instructors and students in mind, this book includes methods of analysis and problem-solving techniques through hands-on exercises and worked examples as well as questions and answers and the ability to implement practical solutions through real-life case studies. For example, the new format includes the following pedagogical elements: • Checklists throughout each chapter to gauge understanding • Chapter Review Questions/Exercises and Case Studies • Ancillaries: Solutions Manual; slide package; figure files

This format will be attractive to universities and career schools as well as federal and state agencies, corporate security training programs, ASIS certification, etc.

Chapters by leaders in the field on theory and practice of cyber security and IT infrastructure protection, allowing the reader to develop a new level of technical expertise Comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of cyber security issues allows the reader to remain current and fully informed from multiple viewpoints Presents methods of analysis and problem-solving techniques, enhancing the reader's grasp of the material and ability to implement practical solutions

687 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Rob Underwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Had to read this for class. Some interesting chapters but added little to the class itself. Chapters are short and easy to read so at least there is that.

[BCS · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book consists of some 15 chapters, each one a contribution by a leading expert in his/her field. The editor is also an expert in his own right, having written some 73 books on IS and related matters over the past 30 years or so.

Described by the editor as a ‘derivative book’, there is plenty of theoretical and practical material spread over the 350 pages. This can be summarised into perhaps four key areas:
cyber warfare and security;
cryptography, PKI and encryption;
biometrics;
security and access controls.

As well as a large number of references, each chapter ends with some quizzes and exercises with the solutions available from the ‘Online Instructor’s Solutions Manual’. However, this additional material is only available to those doing a course or who are affiliated to a university.

The book is aimed at a fairly wide audience including IT/IS managers and IS security and disaster recovery specialists, as well as students studying information security management.

Even if some of the chapters such as those on homeland security, advanced encryption and satellite cyber security may not be relevant to all classes of readers in all geographical regions, there should still be enough material to provide value. However, excluding the quizzes and exercises, each chapter only averages some 20 pages - and most of the topics easily warrant a book or books in their own right.

Overall though, a well-produced book with some good diagrams and charts. However, it is very unfortunate that, unlike a student, the practitioner cannot get access to the online answers to the quizzes and case studies.

Reviewed by Mike Rees MBCS CITP, IT Consultant