Computer Security and Privacy for Dummies Book

Chapter 1: The ABCs of Security

Security Exposed

Personal Computers Unmasked

Measuring the Value of Your Information

Asking the $128,000 Question

Taking the Security Path to Enlightenment

Chapter 2: Security Lingo and Australian Dingoes

What Is Security?

The Business of Threats

Denial of service

Accidental or intentional

Disclosure

Modification

Destruction

Misuse

Vulnerability: Being a '90s Kind of Person

Controls: For Control Freaks Only

Accountability

Identification

Authentication

Auditing

Separation of duty

What's This Risk Thing?

Defining risk

Managing risk

Chapter 3: Viruses, Password Grabbers, Trojan Horses, and Other Threats

Intentional Threats

Disclosure

Masquerading

Denial of service

Computer crime

Password grabbers

Viral attacks

Trojan horses, cuckoo eggs, and time bombs

Theft

Unintentional Threats

Zapping your data

Spikes, brownouts, and blackouts

Acts of God

Stupid human tricks

Chapter 4: Controlling the Threats

Understanding How Controls Work (For Type A Personalities)

Preventative

Detective

Corrective

Distinguishing the Types of Controls

Management controls

Physical controls

Logical access controls

Operational controls

Communications controls

Preventing Problems

Formal or informal controls?

Correcting problems

Detecting Problems

Putting the Control Issue to Rest

Chapter 5: Analyzing and Managing Risks

Prudence or Paranoia?

Costs, Benefits, and Risks

Analyzing Risk

Identifying which assets need protection

Determining the threats to those assets

Determining your vulnerability to the threats

Analyzing your current controls and safeguards

Selecting and implementing needed controls

Reducing, Retaining, Transferring, and Managing Risk

Risk Transference

Reevaluating Your Choices

Final Words on Risk Management

Chapter 6: Keeping Your Computer Physically Secure

Hardware Restraints

Tie-downs

Key-locks

Audible alarms

Labeling

Cabinets

Floppy drive locks

Keyboard covers

Hardware-driven access controls

UPS, UPS, and Away

Grounding Your System

Locking the Door

Physically Protecting Your PC

Plug it in

Never leave a laptop unattended

Eliminate static

Manage the keys

Let an orangutan carry the laptop

Chapter 7: Controlling Access

Why Should You Control Access?

The Security Reference Model

Identification

Authentication

Authorization

Audit

Using Screen Savers for Security

Logging into Your Personal Computer

Logging into Windows 95

Setting up a password in Windows 95

Logging into Windows 3.1

Logging into Windows 3.11 or Windows for Workgroups

Logging into Windows NT

Logging into your Mac

Personal Computer Security Products

Secure Single Sign-On

Chapter 8: Picking Perfect Passwords

The Need for Strong Passcodes

Creating Good Passcodes

Sufficient length

Reasonable time period

Entering a Password Securely

Secrecy

Storing Passwords

Transmitting Passwords

Password Do's and Don'ts

Power-on Passwords: "More Power, Scotty! I Must Have More Power!"

How do power-on passwords work?

Should you use power-on passwords?

Logging in when you forget your password

The Last (Pass)Word

Chapter 9: Securing Word Processors, Spreadsheets, and Databases

Using Built-In Security Features

Word Processing Security

Microsoft Word Versions 5, 6, and 7

Corel WordPerfect 6.x

Spreadsheet Security

Microsoft Excel Versions 6 and 7

Microsoft Excel 5 for the Mac

Corel Quattro Pro 6.x

Other spreadsheets

Database Security

dBASE 5 for Windows

Microsoft Access

Other Applications with Built-In Security

Quicken for Windows Versions 4 and 5

Mac Television

Retrieving Those Forgotten Passwords

Chapter 10: Backing Up and Restoring

Why Back Up?

Figuring Out What to Back Up

Creating a Single Directory for Your Data Files

Tape Backups

Floppy Disk Backups

Deciding How Often to Back Up

Backup Techniques

Using DOS Backup and COPY

Using Windows 95 Backup

Doing Mac backups

Restoring backed-up files

Using commercial backup programs

Storing Backups

Testing Backups

Restoring Lost Files

Chapter 11: Eliminating Viruses, Worms, and Other Pestilence

Viruses Uncovered

Can I pass a Macintosh virus to a DOS-based PC?

Can I pass a DOS virus to my Mac?

Transmitting viruses

Classes and types of viruses

Worms

Trojan Horses

Other Malicious Programs

Viral Symptoms

Practical Solutions

Recovering from a virus

Software licensing

Virus Self-Help Groups

Good Virus Resources

The Last Word on Viruses

Chapter 12: Accessing the Internet and Other Online Services

Internet Security

Password sniffing

E-mail

Those nasty viruses

Cracking scripts available online

Here's looking at you, kid

Using Commercial Networks Securely

Nosy online providers

Who do you want to be?

Online services and encryption

Free speech and online services

Chat rooms

Chat spoofing and replicating

Online service integrity

Sending e-mail to the right place

Copyright Law Online

Copyright and e-mail

Copyright and data files

Downloading commercial programs

Digital Commerce

Online banking

Digital signatures

The Bogeyman and Parental Control

Blocking Offensive Web Content

The Last Mile on the Information Superhighway

Chapter 13: Using E-Mail Securely

What Is E-Mail?

Electronic Mail versus Paper Mail

E-Mail Crackers and Snoops

Easy pickings

Copies, copies everywhere

E-Mail Harassment

Keeping Your Private Mail Private

Tracing an e-mail message

Fakemail

Pass the Spam, please

Anonymous re-mailers

Sending E-Mail Securely

Encoding your messages

Encryption revealed

Very private keys: Single-key ciphers

Very public keys: Two-key ciphers

Digital signatures

PGP: Pretty good software

TIPEM, RIPEM, and Tyler, too

E-Mail Rights

E-Mail Security Tips

Chapter 14: Securing Your Files

Do You Need to Secure Files on Your Computer?

Using DOS to Help Secure Files

Inexpensive and free password protection

Encryption

True File Erasure

File Access Control

Chapter 15: Ten Things All PC Users Should Do

Turn Off the Monitor or Use a Screen Saver

Buy a Surge Protector

Back It Up!

Clean the Monitor

Dust the Components

Protect the Computer from Static Electricity

Consider a Keyboard Cover

Monitor the Modem

Repair the Hard Drive

Run a Virus Checker Program

Chapter 16: Ten Useful Security Documents from the U.S. Government

FIPS Publications

Guidelines for Implementing and Using the NBS Data Encryption Standard

Standard on Password Usage

NCSC Technical Guidelines and Reports

Glossary of Computer Security Terms, Version 1

Computer Viruses: Prevention, Detection, and Treatment

NIST/NBS Special Publications

Security of Personal Computer Systems -- A Management Guide

Security for Dial-Up Lines

Computer Viruses and Related Threats: A Management Guide

Computer User's Guide to the Protection of Information Resources

A Guide to the Selection of Anti-Virus Tools and Techniques

An Introduction to Computer Security: The NIST Handbook

Chapter 17: Ten Useful DOS-Based PC Security Utilities

Access Control and Write Protection

Front gate access

Windows monitoring

Password generator

Keyboard locks

Password Recovery Programs

Microsoft Word Versions 1 and 2

Microsoft Word Versions 6 and 7

Corel WordPerfect 5.1

Microsoft Excel 5.0

True Erasure

Just for Fun: Changing Your Windows 95 Recycle Bin

Chapter 18: Ten Useful Mac Security Utilities

Access Control and Write Protection

BugOff

Firewall

PasswordMaker

PowerLock

SoftLock

Floppy Unlocker

StartupLog

Zorba "the Geek"?

True Erasure

Burn

Complete Delete

Virus Programs and Software Auditing

Cleaning your system with a strong Disinfectant

Looking up those symptoms with Virus Reference 2.1.6

Reviewing your software with KeyAudit

Chapter 19: Ten DOS Security Commands

ATTRIB

BACKUP

CHKDSK

COPY

XCOPY

DELETE

ERASE

FC

FDISK

FORMAT

RENAME

Chapter 20: Ten DOS and Windows Programs and Files to Protect

CONFIG.SYS

AUTOEXEC.BAT

IO.SYS and MSDOS.SYS

IBMBIO.SYS and IBMDOS.SYS

COMMAND.COM

WIN.COM

WIN.INI

SYSTEM.INI

.GRP and .INI

Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Secure Windows 95

Cutting a Startup Disk

Boot Bypass

Psst -- The Password Is Cancel

Password File Lists

Share to the World

More Sharing Than You Intended: Windows 95 File and Printer Sharing Security

Very Public Mail

Recovering the Registry

Controlling Panels

Share-Level (In)Security

Chapter 22: Ten Viruses and What They Do

Boza

Brain

Dark Avenger

Jerusalem

Joshi

Michelangelo

nVir (strains a and b)

SCORES

Stoned

Word Macro 9508

Chapter 23: Ten Useful Backup Devices

HP Colorado T1000

HP Colorado T1000e

Conner TapeStor

Iomega Zip

Iomega Jaz

SyQuest EZ135

SyJET1.3GB

Panasonic PD/CD-ROM Drive

PC Card Devices (PCMCIA)

DVD (Digital Video Disk)

Appendix A: I Want to Learn More

Useful Online Resources

Search Engines

Mailing Lists

USENET Newsgroups

Useful Publications

Helpful Organizations

Useful Books

Appendix B: Sources of Personal Computer Security

Software and Products

Security Sources on the Internet

Security Vendors

Appendix C: Glossary

Appendix D: Computer Security Acronyms