Computer Security Fundamentals (2nd Edition)

Welcome to today’s most useful and practical one-volume introduction to computer security. Chuck Easttom brings together up-to-the-minute coverage of all basic concepts, terminology, and issues, along with all the skills you need to get started in the field. Drawing on his extensive experience as a security instructor and consultant, Easttom thoroughly covers core topics, such as vulnerability assessment, virus attacks, hacking, spyware, network defense, passwords, firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion detection. Writing clearly and simply, he fully addresses crucial issues that many introductory security books ignore, from industrial espionage to cyberbullying.

Computer Security Fundamentals, Second Edition is packed with tips and examples, all extensively updated for the state-of-the-art in both attacks and defense. Each chapter offers exercises, projects, and review questions designed to deepen your understanding and help you apply all you’ve learned. Whether you’re a student, a system or network administrator, a manager, or a law enforcement professional, this book will help you protect your systems and dataand expand your career options.

Learn how to

• Identify the worst threats to your network and assess your risks
• Get inside the minds of hackers, so you can prevent their attacks
• Implement a proven layered approach to network security
• Use basic networking knowledge to improve security
• Resist the full spectrum of Internet-based scams and frauds
• Defend against today’s most common Denial of Service (DoS) attacks
• Prevent attacks by viruses, spyware, and other malware
• Protect against low-tech social engineering attacks
• Choose the best encryption methods for your organization
• Select firewalls and other security technologies
• Implement security policies that will work in your environment
• Scan your network for vulnerabilities
• Evaluate potential security consultants
• Understand cyberterrorism and information warfare
• Master basic computer forensics and know what to do after you’re attacked

Chuck Easttom has many years of practical experience in all aspects of IT. He holds a Doctor of Science in CyberSecurity and 3 masters degrees(including 1 in applied computer science and 1 in systems engineering). He has authored 27 computer science books ( so far) and is an inventor with 17 computer science patents, and numerous research papers on topics such as digital forensics, cyber warfare, engineering processes, cryptography, and other areas.
He was a subject matter expert for CompTIA in the creation of their Security+, Linux+,and Server+certification tests and on the Job Task Analysis team for CEH v8. He created the OSForensics certification test and course.  He currently holds  over 45IT certifications (A+,Network+, iNet+, Linux+,Server+,MCP, MCAD, MCSA, MCSE, MCDBA,MCTS,MCITP, CEH, CHFI, CISSP, CCFP, ISSAP,and more).


Dr. Easttom is frequently a speaker on computer science related topics,often specifically on computer security and related subjects. In the past he has been a speaker at: Hacker Halted, TakedownCon, Secure World, ISC2 Security Congress, Harvard Computer Society, Columbia University ACM chapter, University of Texasat Dallas ACM Chapter, Southern Methodist University Research Colloquium, Hakon India, Defcon, Enfuse, to name a few. He has spoken on the history of viruses, cryptographic back doors,cryptanalysis, cyber warfare and terrorism,  the details  of the cryptographic algorithms,quantum computing, engineering processes,  forensic report writing, and other computer science and security topics.  He is also a Distinguished Speaker of the ACM, as well as a Senior Member of the ACM and a Senior Member of the IEEE and a member of INCOSE and IACR.