Useful when it counted.   October 18, 2002

highly recommended for anyone interested in security. Wireless or not.


Another Winner   September 10, 2002
  3 out of 5 found this review helpful

If you think the only thing you need to do to ensure wireless security is not leaving your cell phone lying around, you should check this book out. I went right to this book, mostly because of the author, and it did not disappoint. His CISSP Prep Guide is also an amazing book.


Good book, but doesn?t have much about wireless security   August 27, 2002
  0 out of 1 found this review helpful

Writing a book on wireless security is like writing a book on safe skydiving - if you want the safety and security, just don't do it. Hard-wired (cabled) networks have been around for decades and they are still for the most part insecure. Wireless networking (focusing on 802.11), which has been around for only a few years, is clearly an insecure technology. With that, there is currently not a lot to write about when it comes to effective wireless security.

Wireless Security Essentials: Defending Mobile Systems from Data Piracy confirms that there is little to say on this topic because although it is 345 pages in length, only about 75 pages deal with wireless security. Of those 75 pages (pages 135 - 207), about 15 pages discuss vendor products.

The first 135 pages and 4 chapters of the book are an introduction to computer technology, networking, wireless security, and basic security issues. In addition to the 75 pages on wireless security, pages 209 - 345 are composed of a comprehensive glossary and 4 appendixes.

Only in chapter 5 does the book get into " wireless security". For the most part, people equate wireless with 802.11. Within 802.11, the security functionality is provided by WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy), which provides the underlying security of 802.11. But an insurmountable problem is that WEP has been proven (see Breaking 802.11 Security at [URL]) to be seriously flawed, and is therefore insecure. Since the security foundation of 802.11 is basically nil, 802.11 networks as of this writing simply can't be adequately secured.

So why do companies deploy wireless networks given their inherent security risks? For the same reason they deploy Windows -- functionality. While Windows is for the most part an insecure operating system, its functionality is huge, and history has shown that functionality wins over security.

The functionality of wireless has even given birth to a new pastime of war chalking. War chalking is when an area of public access has been determined to have a wireless access point available, it is marked with chalk to let everyone know. For more information on war chalking, see [URL]

While the book does have valuable information, the fact that only 75 pages of it are specific to wireless security may not warrant its [price] purchase price. There are numerous free articles on the Internet that provide roughly the same amount of information and may be more cost effective to most readers. One place to start is The Unofficial 802.11 Security Web Page at [URL]/ and also 802.11 Security Beyond WEP at [URL].


Good for professionals and the home user   August 6, 2002
  8 out of 8 found this review helpful

I found that this book was informative in explaining the different wireless protocols out there. It also explained some of the weaknesses, which helped me not only to set up my own wireless lan at home, but make recommendations in my office towards a more private network!

I recommend this book for anyone who needs to know about security with today's devices.


Two Thumbs Up!   August 4, 2002
  2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Two thumbs up! In depth coverage, but easy to read. The fifteen pages of references gives an indication of the extent of research backing this book, not to mention the author's extensive background in computer security. I like the fact that each chapter stands on it's own - You can dive in wherever you like and sink your teeth into it. The well thought-out formatting and illustrations make it a breeze to navigate. Whether you're looking for a guide to wireless security, or for a reference book on the alphabet soup of protocols and standards, this book is the answer!