Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow (Stealing the Network) (Stealing the Network)

Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow (Stealing the Network) (Stealing the Network)
Average customer rating:

The SQL Injection Adventures of Pawn

Author "review"

One of the better installments when it comes to plot and pacing...

Entertaining way to learn

Best One Yet

Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow (Stealing the Network) (Stealing the Network)
Johnny Long , Tim Mullen , and Ryan Russell
Manufacturer: Syngress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Stealing the Network: How to Own an Identity (Stealing the Network) (Stealing the Network)

Stealing the Network: How to Own the Box

Stealing the Network: How to Own a Continent

Hacker's Challenge 3 (Hacking Exposed)

Botnets: The Killer Web Applications

ASIN: 1597490814

Book Description

The best-selling Stealing the Network series reaches its climactic conclusion as law enforcement and organized crime form a high-tech web in an attempt to bring down the shadowy hacker-villain known as Knuth in the most technically sophisticated Stealing book yet.

Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow is the final book in Syngress ground breaking, best-selling, Stealing the Network series. As with previous title, How to Own a Shadow is a fictional story that demonstrates accurate, highly detailed scenarios of computer intrusions and counter-strikes. In How to Own a Thief, Knuth, the master-mind, shadowy figure from previous books, is tracked across the world and the Web by cyber adversaries with skill to match his own. Readers will be amazed at how Knuth, Law Enforcement, and Organized crime twist and torque everything from game stations, printers and fax machines to service provider class switches and routers steal, deceive, and obfuscate. From physical security to open source information gathering, Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow will entertain and educate the reader on every page. The books companion Web site will also provide special, behind-the-scenes details and hacks for the reader to join in the chase for Knuth.

· The final book in the Stealing the Network series will be a must read for the 50,000 readers worldwide of the first three titles

· The companion Web site to the book will provide challenging scenarios from the book to allow the reader to track down Knuth

· Law enforcement and security professionals will gain practical, technical knowledge for apprehending the most supplicated cyber-adversaries

Customer Reviews:

The SQL Injection Adventures of Pawn.......2007-06-14

Did you enjoy the previous three Stealing the Network books? Are you looking for more? Then move along now, nothing to see here.
The prior books were interesting because they introduced the reader to new ideas or new angles on old ideas, then moved on without belaboring them. If you wanted more details, there were often URLs provided. The last two tied the stories together with the intriguing Knuth character. But the folks running the project chose to switch to a new format, with fewer characters and stories, not to mention fewer authors, and fewer ways to split the profits.
After three books with the same (proven) formula, it's understandable the authors would want to try something new. Alas, it's a disaster.

Welcome to "How to Own a Shadow," aka "The SQL Injection Adventures of Pawn." Pawn is one of the new characters in this volume, and is the first StN character I hoped would get shot to death by the cops in a mini-mall parking lot. Yes, he's that irritating. Particularly after reading 40 pages about his childhood as a high-functioning autistic (or something like that), and around 100 pages of him performing SQL injection attacks. Most of which is totally unrelated to Knuth. Note to the authors: SQL injection is interesting, but if you want to write a book about it, just write a book about it. I even gave you a title, what more do you want? You can even recycle much of this book, like you recycled part of the last one here.

Oh, you noticed the real subtitle of the book, "The Chase for Knuth." First, one chases _after_ fugitives, and hunts or searches _for_ them. Not that it matters, because there's not much chasing or hunting going on in this book. There isn't much Knuth, either. We see him in the first hundred pages, which is mostly about his son analyzing poker software. That's the last we see of either of them. Because, really, this is "The Biography of Pawn." We do get 50 pages of Knuth at the end of the book, but don't get excited: it's all from the last book, added as obvious filler.

Speaking of filler, there's a 17 page advertorial thrown in for BiDiBLAH, which is commercial software by SensePost. Oddly enough, they're listed as technical advisors for the book. I'm sure it's a fine app, but the authors have forgotten about Knuth again, since it has nothing to do with the story. If it had been relevant, it might have been a less obnoxious addition.

Not everything is bad. There's a brief bit about RFID, which of course turns into how to use RFID for SQL attacks. We get to meet Knuth's supposedly dead wife, and a charming shrew she is. All in all, though, this book isn't worth reading unless you're a truly devoted fan of the series, or SQL. I'm still a fan of the previous books, and I hope the authors can recapture what made them so intriguing for their next book. I won't be buying that one until I'm sure it's not Book Two of the Pawn Saga, however.

Author "review".......2007-04-13

Let me first say that I am one of the authors on this book. I don't think authors can objectively review their own work in a forum such as this, so I won't. This won't stop me from rating it five stars to help reinforce the law of averages. ;-)

I will, however, address a few reviews posted here. First and foremost, I am a huge fan of the Stealing series, and the authors that worked on each of the three previous books. But based on customer reviews and our own feelings on the matter, the authors unanimously agreed that boosting the story value of the book was a priority. After all, even security geeks deserve a good plot and decent characters if they take the time to read technical fiction. Books of this genre should also teach. By all fair reviews, this book does both. If you're interested in straight fiction, or straight tech, you'll find this book to only be half-good. If you're willing to be entertained, and are looking to learn something cool about hackers and how they operate, this is the book for you. And there I go, drifting into a review.

So let me address one other complaint: the lack of a "real" ending. Well, that's our fault. There's more to the series, and we know how it's going to end, but we adamantly refused to slip another deadline, so the book went to print with a cliffhanger ending. Now we're not out to sell more books or make your life miserable by leaving you hanging, but this book had to either wrap up where it did, or it would have been scrapped by the publisher, who had no real choice in the matter. As authors, we missed our deadlines, but we did it in order to improve the final product. I'm personally proud of the end result, and the reviews show that we have good reason to be proud.

So to long-time Stealing readers, this book is different because we grew in our craft, and our EXTREMELY capable story editor (Scott Pinzon) held us to the standard of mainstream fiction. Will we make the New York Times best-seller list because of our efforts? No. But this book isn't for those readers. It's for those in and around technology that have read one to many straight technical books.

So we would love to hear what you think. Post a review if you'd like, or if you just want to chat about the book, head over to the "book talk" section of my web site's forums (you know where to find it- Google is your friend). I'd love to hear from you.

j0hnny

One of the better installments when it comes to plot and pacing..........2007-04-05

It's nice when recreational reading overlaps with technical material, and the Stealing The Network series qualifies for that designation. The latest installment is Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow - The Chase For Knuth by Johnny Long, Timothy Mullen, Ryan Russell, and Scott Pinzon, and it's an enjoyable read that is heavy on the technical how-to while maintaining a decent plotline.

There's basically two story-lines here... The first involves Robert Knoll Jr. and his father, and is a continuation from the last book. All the police surveillance and investigations are taking a toll on Junior's life, so he decides to act on his father's cryptic message to head down to Mexico with nothing much more than the clothes on his back (and a large amount of cash). He is contacted by people who work for his father, and is taken down to Costa Rica where Senior runs an on-line poker site. Everything that Junior wants is provided (top of the line, too), and he starts doing some programming and network intel for his father. But he really doesn't have a clue as to what Senior is really up to...

The second story-line involves an autistic kid by the name of Paul Wilson. As he grows up, he starts gaining an interest in computer hacking and solving puzzles involving gaining access to various network sites. He's befriended by an on-line entity known as Rafa who is amazed at how Paul can pick up concepts almost immediately. It helps that he has a photographic memory and is wired such that these types of problems engage him. Rafa starts paying him for "research assignments", and Paul is thinking that he's actually doing legit security work. That, coupled with his intense interest in the martial arts, pretty much absorbs all his time. But he starts to understand a bit of what's really going on when he starts to hack a mysterious local business in order to help out a woman in his dojo. She has an ulterior motive for wanting to use his phenomenal hacking skills, but it may get them both arrested or killed.

From a plot pacing standpoint, I was pleasantly surprised. The other books tended to be a bit more "vignette" in nature, so the overall story suffered. At least here, the plot and technology actually supported each other. Again, it's not New York Times best-seller action-adventure, but it works for this type of approach. Paul seemed to be a bit over-the-top in his skills, but that element was supported by his autism. It stretched credibility at times, but not so much that you started to laugh (or at least I didn't). My biggest disappointment is that there was no plot resolution to either story-line, so it's a given that you'll need to read the next one to see how it turns out. The plotlines are converging, and the next book *should* be pretty good. Still, I would have liked a bit more payoff at the end.

Regardless, this is an interesting book about hacking techniques (complete with code) all wrapped up in an action/adventure plot. I'll be interested to see how they merge the story and carry it on in the next installment...

Entertaining way to learn.......2007-04-05

This book was excellent for someone interested in technology but has a hard time reading dull technical books. I have been interested in digital security for a while, but until recently hadn't played around with SQL injections. I was interested in learning more about them and pleased to see that this book offered an excellent primer on SQL injections in the form of a story, which held my interest. In addition there was a cool primer on RFID hacking which I really enjoyed. The supporting story was intriguing and kept me reading to find out what happened next.

There was a cliffhanger ending, and now I'm really looking forward to the next one.

Best One Yet.......2007-03-14

You can definately see the influence of the infamous Johny Long in the writing of this one. The book is incredible i was 150 pgs into it before I could take a bathroom break. :D get it and the rest.

Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights

Average customer rating:

Corporate Power, where did it come from?
This book changed my life
Gives the insde on the need to rationalize corporations
Unequal Protection:the rise of corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights
'The' book to read on the issue of the role of corporate power in the US

Unequal Protection: The Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights
Thom Hartmann
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

Corporations rule the world, claims Thom Hartmann, and they are despoiling it for profit. He traces the historical friction between individual rights and the corporation, culminating in a landmark 1886 court case that altered the course of constitutional protection forever. Since then, corporations have steadily acquired power, enrolled the average citizen in a new kind of servitude, shifted an unfair share of the tax burden, taken control of the media, and co-opted the regulatory process for their own purposes. Hartmann cites examples of the absurd and frightening power: sterile streams and undrinkable water, poisonous neighborhoods, a government's willingness to drill for oil in untouched Alaskan wilderness when saving 2 miles per gallon per car would produce more oil in 2 years than in all of Alaska. To end the abuses, Hartmann calls for a grassroots revolution. He says it's time to understand the true costs of our consumerist society, take back the government, and shift to a values-based economy.

Customer Reviews:

Corporate Power, where did it come from? .......2007-07-13

I was actually in the process of writing a book about the same subject matter when I became aware of Mr. Hartmann's book. After reading this book I conclude that Mr. Hartmann beat me to it and has done a more thorough job than would have satisfied me. It is a very important matter and threatens to change our nation in fundamental ways. A shortcoming in Mr. Hartmann's book is the weakness of his proposed solutions. I have proposed to Mr. Hartmann actions which I think would be more effective in the long haul. I am searching for an existing organization having the sole goal of putting back in their place those corporations which are usurping the power given We the People by the Constitution. I'm too old to form a new orgnization and those I have learned of are not sufficiently focused.

This book changed my life.......2007-05-10

I read this book and have been a Thom Hartman fan ever since.
He is brilliant and packed with knowledge.
Everyone needs to read this book!

Check out his radio show.

Gives the insde on the need to rationalize corporations.......2007-04-08

Going into the Freedom Portal (Free State) I had doubts about the morality, perhaps even the constitutionality, of corporations.

What, after all, is a corporation?

American Heritage says: "a) A body of persons granted a
charter legally recognizing them as a separate entity having
its own rights, privileges, and liabilities distinct from those
of its members. b) Such a body created for purposes of
government."

Now isn't the b) part of that definition interesting? At the very least we know corporations are creatures of the government and do not exist at common law.

Thomas Hartmann, a true modern lower-case democrat, writes that Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and several other Founders warned strenuously against monopoly corporations:

"I hope we shall... crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country." --Thomas Jefferson to George Logan, 1816

And from Andrew Jackson:

"Corporations have neither bodies to kick nor souls to damn."

These conscientious men were worried about abuse of power. Early chartering of corporations in America reflects this concern, often imposing severe limitations--such as prohibiting corporations from owning other corporations and requiring annual renewal of the charters.

Many people do not realize the Boston Tea Party was a revolt against corporate privilege. Queen Elizabeth charted the East India Company (EIC) in 1600; into the 1700s it dominated trade by Britain with America. Tea became a huge import to America by the mid-1700s and EIC wanted all the business.

Several acts prohibited Americans from acquiring tea from other sources. In 1773, the Tea Act exempted EIC (of which the king was a stockholder), but not colonial merchants, from taxes to the crown. The tea partiers were telling the Crown and the EIC stick their cheap tea where the sun don't shine.

...

For my complete review of this book and for other book and movie
reviews, please visit my site [...]

Brian Wright
Copyright 2007

Unequal Protection:the rise of corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights.......2006-11-10

A call to all fair minded Americans, as well as citizens around the globe.
One of Thom Hartmann's BEST. A history lesson and a call to reclaim our humanity.

'The' book to read on the issue of the role of corporate power in the US.......2006-04-30

Disclaimer: I'm a bit more than half through the book - and ready to comment on it.

I read quite a few books on liberal politics. This one is on a very short 'best' list of them.

It hits its mark right on - just the right amounts of history, the scope of its message, the gritty details when needed, the pacing.

I began to learn new details on well-trodden ground early in the book - for example, who knew that the pilgrims arriving on the Mayflower in 1620 were hardly England beginning its presence in North America - that it was the Mayflower's third or fourth trip carrying over staff of the East India company since 1601 - it was a company presence, the religious visitors were an afterthought.

He does an outstanding job of explaining the dominant role of colonists' opposition to the East India company in our own resolution. It's important to understand these things when we look at how to respond to powerful corporations today.

He does an excellent, balanced expose of the history of the legal doctrine that corporations are entitled to equality with humans.

The ramifications are huge, as today we face a political system in which the influence of our citizens is dwarfed by that of the inhuman organizations - where the citizens are turned into consumers to be sold to and manipulated with well-funded marketing, rather than acting as the sovereigns necessary for a democracy to work well.

If we don't begin to do something now, the chances may begin to disappear to be able to. Even now, we have democracy's power to represent its people castrated by clauses in the so-called 'free trade' agreements which allow the corporations to get all kinds of laws nullified.

I highly recommend the book.

Stealing the Network: How to Own an Identity (Stealing the Network) (Stealing the Network)

Average customer rating:

Great continuation of the series
One of the most innovative adn unique books on the mindset of a hacker
More fun from the most imaginative security writers on the scene
How about some proofreaders?
Entertaining and shocking

Stealing the Network: How to Own an Identity (Stealing the Network) (Stealing the Network)
Timothy Mullen , Ryan Russell , Riley Eller , Jay Beale , FX FX , Chris Hurley , Tom Parker , Brian Hatch , and Johnny Long
Manufacturer: Syngress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Stealing the Network: How to Own a Continent
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ASIN: 1597490067
Release Date: 2005-05-01

Book Description

The first two books in this series Stealing the Network: How to Own the Box and Stealing the Network: How to Own a Continent have become classics in the Hacker and Infosec communities because of their chillingly realistic depictions of criminal hacking techniques.

In this third installment, the all-star cast of authors tackle one of the fastest growing crimes in the world: Identity Theft. Now, the criminal hackers readers have grown to both love and hate try to cover their tracks and vanish into thin air "Stealing the Network: How to Own an Identity" is the 3rd book in the "Stealing" series, and continues in the tradition created by its predecessors by delivering real-world network attack methodologies and hacking techniques within a context of unique and original fictional accounts created by some of the world's leading security professionals and computer technologists. The seminal works in TechnoFiction, this "STN" collection yet again breaks new ground by casting light upon the mechanics and methods used by those lurking on the darker side of the Internet, engaging in the fastest growing crime in the world: Identity theft.

Cast upon a backdrop of "Evasion," surviving characters from "How to Own a Continent" find themselves on the run, fleeing from both authority and adversary, now using their technical prowess in a way they never expected--to survive.

* The first two books in the series were best-sellers and have established a cult following within the Hacker and Infosec communities
* Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the world, and financial loss from identity theft is expected to reach $2 trillion by the end of 2005
* All of the authors on the book are world renowned, highly visible information security experts who present at all of the top security conferences including Black Hat, DefCon, and RSA and write for the most popular magazines and Web sites including Information Security Magazine, and SecurityFocus.com. All of these outlets will be used to promote the book

Customer Reviews:

Great continuation of the series.......2007-02-07

I give it 5 stars because not only is it a great hacker thriller but the use of character names from the 80s movie Real Genius cracks me up. Its like the movie's sequel.

One of the most innovative adn unique books on the mindset of a hacker.......2006-11-01

This book is hard to put down! It was like looking into a window of the underground world that most people, even those in the Information Security Industry, are unaware exists. The technical aspects in thoe book gave the storyline a credibility that other books lack. The characters were colorful and well developed. The book opened my eyes to the very real threat of identity theft and how identities are "harevsted" and used as currency on the blackmarket by organized crime and malicious entities such as terrorist organizationa. Great read that will not diassapoint you.

More fun from the most imaginative security writers on the scene.......2006-03-11

I reviewed the first Stealing book in May 2003, and the second in September 2004. I liked the two earlier books, and the third book -- Stealing the Network: How to 0wn an Identity (STNHT0AI) -- is also a fun read. The book is most impressive when it outlines plausible scenarios for identity theft, penetrating wireless networks, and compromising Hushmail. Although some of the writing is rough, I still recommend reading this book.

I'd like to point out a few aspects of the book that hooked my attention. First, Ch 3 explains how to assume a college student's identity. 1. Steal pre-approved credit card applications from neighborhood mailboxes. 2. Identify a likely target, and find that person's date of birth and parent's names using online family tree databases. 3. Buy NetDetective and obtain the target's SSN. 4. Get a real driver's license from a thief who stole DMV equipment. 5. Intercept at mail box the credit card applied for in step 1. 6. Apply for a real birth certificate using the credit card obtained in the previous step. 7. Intercept at mail box the real birth certificate mailed to the target's home. Aside from the SSN acquisition, that scenario is plausible and incredibly scary!

The second scenario that left a lasting impression appears in Ch 8. Jay Beale explains how to compromise and read mail exchanged through Hushmail. The crux of the matter is obtaining control of Hushmail's DNS servers. At the end of his chapter, Jay notes that Hushmail's DNS servers were compromised in April 2005. I thought his chapter contained the best mix of story and clear technical explanations found in STNHT0AI.

It is very helpful to have read at least the previous Stealing book prior to STNHT0AI. At times it felt like I was watching the second Back to the Future movie, where Marty sees different aspects of events that took place in the first movie. I was also completely shocked by the hints left at the end of the book, and the abrupt ending left me waiting to resolve the cliffhanger. I look forward to reading Stealing the Network: How to Own a Shadow later this year.

How about some proofreaders?.......2006-02-01

Good story, followed through pretty well from STN:Continent, which I haven't read in quite some time, so I didn't really do much cross-referencing, so take that comment for what it's worth. My two major issues with the book were:
1) Apparent lack of proofing whatsoever. In some cases it appeared that the author had stopped typing mid-sentence and picked up some time later, forgetting what exactly they had said because they had previously stopped typing mid-sentence. (re-read for example) At one point a whole paragraph was in there twice in a row. This sort of thing frazzled me a bit as I was reading it, and took away from the immersion to an extent. Each chapter was written by a different author so this is not a consitant trend through the entire book. There is some good writing in there as well.
2) More story, less technical stuff. This seemed a bit more 'novel-y' than the previous books, I kind of didn't like that aspect of it. That was just me though. Some of it was pretty good though, and a fun read, like the chapter about Knoll Jr. as well as the Blacktower chapter. All-in-all, I'd have to say that I liked the first STN [:box] the best, but that's just me. The cohesiveness of the story between chapters seemed to be better in this one [Identity] than STN:Continent, though.

Overall I give it three stars because I am a grammar nazi but you might enjoy it more. I recommend it if you've read the previous ones.

Entertaining and shocking.......2005-12-05

This book is disturbing-it's so insanely simple to steal an identity. But this shock is not without purpose. Through reading the very entertaining anecdotes about social engineering, hacking, and just plain fraud, you get a sense of what can be done to protect your identity.

The book is different from what you might expect. Rather than chapter after chapter about how to do this or that, this book reads more like a novel. Through the story you get a little entertainment, learn a little about security, and learn a little about identity theft. It's a very different type of book than I was expecting, but I think it works well. In fact, I wonder if the only way you could write a "how-to" book of sorts on identity theft would be to write it the way this book is written.

This certainly isn't a book that I'd pull out and read over and over, like many of my reference books. This is a book I would read once, then think about for a very long time. Like I said, it's unlike anything I was ever expecting-in a good way. Do check this one out.

Average customer rating:

Imperialism, Art and Restitution

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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Your Evil Twin: Behind the Identity Theft Epidemic

Average customer rating:

Humanizing Identity Theft
This could have been so much better
Almost Like a good mystery book, but real
The risk is very real!

Your Evil Twin: Behind the Identity Theft Epidemic
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Book Description

The crime of the twenty-first century doesn't discriminate: ID theft has hit ordinary citizens and celebrities alike, from Oprah Winfrey to Steven Spielberg, and costs the economy $50 billion a year. Your Evil Twin covers this exploding crime from every possible angle. It includes exclusive whodunit details from mastermind identity thieves who have pilfered money from half the members of the Forbes 400, as well as exclusive interviews with a myriad of criminals in the Internet's underground, such as Russian hackers who have extorted money from U.S. banks. The book also issues a scathing indictment of the credit granting industry, from credit card issuers to the secretive credit reporting agencies, who have misunderstood the crime from the start, have been slow to respond, and bear much of the responsibility for the epidemic. Finally, Bob Sullivan, author and identity theft expert, probes the tepid solutions now being cobbled together by the industry and government.
Bob Sullivan (Snohomish, WA), senior technology writer for MSNBC.com, is the nation's leading journalist covering identity fraud. He has written more than 100 articles on the subject since 1996, and is a regular contributor to MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Nightly News, the Today show, and various local NBC affiliates. With colleague Mike Brunker, Sullivan received the prestigious 2002 Society of Professional Journalists Public Service Award for ongoing coverage of Internet fraud.

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

Humanizing Identity Theft.......2005-09-07

Much has been written about identity theft, and what people have to go through to clear their credit reports. But what I had never given much thought to is that identity theft goes much beyond stealing identities for financial gain. In fact, what is much more difficult to deal with is when your identity is stolen and used by criminals in general. Try to clear a supposed criminal record. And if you are in the United States, try to do that if you are black or Hispanic. That is just part of the excellent discussions you will find in Bob Sullivan's Your Evil Twin: Behind the Identity Theft Epidemic (August 2004, John Wiley & Sons, 314 Pages, ISBN 0471648108).

A journalist by training, Sullivan presents an easy to read, if unsettling, narrative talking about different aspects of identity theft that do not often get discussed. Some of the material is material found in magazines and other journals, but the strength of this book is that it beings many different pieces into one place. Sullivan starts out by showing that no one is immune to identity theft, whether it be a CEO or even Eldrick "Tiger" Woods. He goes into some detail explaining who was taken advantage of and how, though he does not offer solutions for the problems.

But this does not mean he is afraid to take on the real villains in identity theft, the credit card companies and retailers who push easy credit every chance they get. Sullivan makes the excellent point that the availability of easy credit is actually better for the bad guys than those who do the right thing. He also does not shy away from calling out the credit reporting agencies and their role in this problem. Why should they be charging people for "Credit report watches", when they helped create the problem? It was fascinating from a historical perspective to read how the three major credit reporting companies came to be. It is a heck of a trivia question to ask how a railroad fits into the scheme of things.

You will, or at least should, find yourself challenged by the reality that the race factor plays in how victims are treated. Like it or not, we live in two Americas as clearly shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Discussions of this topic in the book really offer a time for reflection and thought in the area of identity theft.

One should not expect this book to answer every possible question about identity theft, but should be considered as part of a larger library on data privacy and identity theft. It provides a human perspective that other titles on the subject often lack.

Who Should Read This Book?

This book, while not a "must read" would be of interest to people who want to explore more of the human side of identity theft and would like some additional historical/political perspective.

The Scorecard

Birdie on an average Par 4

This could have been so much better.......2004-11-12

To begin with, I was terribly distracted by all the typographical/spelling and editing errors that ran rampant in this book. Why would anyone put a book out for sale that hasn't been proofread?

But most of all, this book covers an extremely important subject, one of potential interest to just about everyone, and yet it was so shallow. I have been better informed about identity theft, what it is, what is being done about it, and what we can do if we are targeted as victims in local newspapers and in magazine articles. There was no discussion of many very common methods of identity theft, including observation of victims as they enter their ATM or telephone pin numbers and codes, inadvertantly leaving passwords and usernames on public computers, giving credit card numbers to untrustworthy websites, using credit cards in untrustworthy restaurants and stores, writing passwords in places others can easily access, being victimized by phishing schemes, etc. Each of these and many more are methods of identity theft easily avoided yet this book doesn't mention them.

Even the anecdotes left me hanging for more detail, more of what happened and why. Instead, they rambled on disconnectedly and often had no beginnings nor conclusions. The organization of the book was sub-par, which accounted for much unnecessary repetition of minor details. This book simply screams for a better editor.

Almost Like a good mystery book, but real.......2004-09-18

This book is all about a problem that simply didn't exist only a few years ago. Now it's become the fastest growing white collar crime in America. It strikes in every community from the smallest to the largest. The crime is profitable, nearly unpreventable, and hardly ever prosecuted (by one estimate only one out of every 700 incidents). It's the down side of the information super highway. Getting a bit of information about a person is easy, and then you can get a bit more. Soon you can buy a car in his name, get credit cards in his name, like the TV commercial, you're on the beach, your credit cards are in the airplane flying by.

The book says, rightfully I believe, that you are basically on your own. The police don't seem to care, the credit card companies write off the loss and go on about their business. Just don't you try to ever use your credit again.

The author is a leading expert on the subject, as well as being a senior writer at MSNBC. He knows how to write and he knows his subject, what more can you ask.

The risk is very real!.......2004-09-16

Ignorance is not bliss - it only gives more time for identity thieves to ruin your life. I already own a shredder, to indulge my paranoia of having credit card applications and other personal information easily available to those with sinister intentions. This book confirms the need for the paranoia, but also points out how little control I have over "keeping" my own identity. This is a page-turner, flavored with stories of real people who have experienced identity theft, making it a very interesting read. This issue is huge, much more than someone trying to run up some charges on a credit card I have in my wallet. And what I found particularly shocking was how unwilling different institutions are to come up with solutions.

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Preventing Corporate Embezzlement
Paul Shaw , and Jack Bologna
Manufacturer: Butterworth-Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0750672544

Book Description

Internal loss is one of the most costly forms of loss. Embezzlement is one of the least detected and prosecuted forms of internal theft. Preventing Corporate Embezzlement is a professional reference that offers solutions. Managers, auditors and others charged with protecting assets must achieve a heightened awareness of embezzlement. They need to recognize and understand the opportunities, methods, and varieties of embezzlement, as well as establish internal controls that will prevent and detect embezzlement.

Practical tool for detecting and combatting embezzlement: checklists, forms and evaluations
Offers how-to advice on avoiding lawsuits by practicing preventive law
Lists further resources, publications and directories on embezzlement, internal controls and security, risk management, insurance, auditors, and security services and equipment

Investigating Identity Theft: A Guide for Businesses, Law Enforcement, and Victims

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Investigating Identity Theft: A Guide for Businesses, Law Enforcement, and Victims
Judith M. Collins
Manufacturer: Wiley
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Binding: Hardcover

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Your Evil Twin: Behind the Identity Theft Epidemic
Scams & Swindles: Phishing, Spoofing, ID Theft, Nigerian Advance Schemes Investment Frauds: How to Recognize And Avoid Rip-Offs In The Internet Age

ASIN: 0471757241

Book Description

What will you do when you encounter identity theft within your business?

Chances are, you have already lost money to identity theft and business fraud. Look no further than the latest newspaper headlines to know that it is an epidemic problem and an alarming reality from which no business-whether small or large-is immune.

Although you can't completely stop identity theft from happening, you can be prepared when it takes place. Investigating Identity Theft: A Guide for Businesses, Law Enforcement, and Victims is your practical guide for fully understanding and investigating identity theft.

"The training that I received from Judy Collins at MSU has been instrumental to my helping victims of identity theft and locating the person(s) who caused their nightmare. I have even used the training methods she outlines in this book on a homicide investigation and it paid off: the perpetrator is now in jail for the rest of his life. I can't say enough about Dr. Collins and her knowledge of tracking criminals on the Internet; she is a great asset to law enforcement."
-Anthony Abdallah, Police Detective, Inkster Police Department (CID), Inkster, Michigan

"This valuable book is an essential, pragmatic guide for the full understanding and investigation of identity theft crimes. It also establishes Dr. Judith Collins as a foremost national expert on this growing crime problem that threatens our future."
-Dr. Bruce L. Benson, Police Chief Emeritus, Associate Professor, Criminal Justice, Michigan State University

"Whether the investigator is working in the private or public sector, Dr. Collins presents valuable information on the methodology required to successfully resolve identity theft cases. The use of real-life investigations, with lessons learned, provides an intriguing and entertaining format while at the same time sharpening the investigator's skills. If you think investigating identity theft is not worthwhile because the crime is committed by individuals on randomly selected victims without specific objectives, goals, or purpose, you need to read this book."
-Rod Kinghorn, Director of Investigations, General Motors Global Security

"An excellent book. Judith Collins has spent many years investigating identity theft. Her willingness to share her knowledge with law enforcement, businesses, and victims is truly a benefit that cannot be found elsewhere."
-Juli Liebler, Captain, East Lansing Police Department, East Lansing, Michigan

"Well done. Smart idea. . . . This is an excellent, professionally written book . . . and much needed."
-Salman Anwar, Computer Forensic Engineer, Western Michigan University Police Department

"As a retired special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and having worked the past six years in the private sector, I found Dr. Collins's book to be an invaluable tool for both the private sector and the law enforcement community. Dr. Collins provides genuine insight into the complex issues surrounding identity theft. I am confident her book will assist in both the prevention of identity theft and the detection of those who prey on other's identities."
-Frank Laudan, Investigator, Securitas Security Services USA, Inc.

"Excellent guide! A must-read for anyone involved in investigating identity theft! Dr. Collins has become one of the most respected and knowledgeable authorities in this relatively new field."
-Detective Gary A. Guiles (Retired), Fraud Investigator, Lansing Police Department, Lansing, Michigan

Download Description

Investigating Identity Theft Fraud: A Guide for Businesses, Law Enforcement, and Victims walks readers through the process of conducting a successful identity theft investigation. Based on the author-directed Identity Theft Partners in Prevention Program at Michigan State University, it covers all aspects of conducting an investigation--from initial discovery of a crime to persecution of the perpetrator. It includes real-life examples of identity theft cases worked by the author, including how the perpetrators were eventually brought to justice.

Understanding and Preventing Car Theft (Crime Prevention Studies V.17) (Crime Prevention Studies V.17)

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Understanding and Preventing Car Theft (Crime Prevention Studies V.17) (Crime Prevention Studies V.17)

Manufacturer: Criminal Justice Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Law Enforcement | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1881798534

Book Description

Thefts of and from autos account for the highest losses among property crimes that target individuals (except for arson). But according to the research presented in this new book, recent initiatives in the U.S., Europe and Australia have provided effective new models and lessons about how best to prevent car theft.

Following editor Michael Maxfield's introduction, the chapter topics include:
-- benefits of the U.K. Car Theft Index (by Gloria Laycock);
-- comparing improvements in car safety versus car security in U.S. history (Graeme Newman);
-- preventing vehicle crime in Australia through public-private partnerships and national collaboration (Ray Carroll);
-- reducing abuses involving temporary license tags in North Carolina (Matthew White and Charles W. Dean);
-- improving vehicle licensing and registration systems in the U.K. (Barry Webb et al.);
-- the impact of electronic immobilizers (Rick Brown);
-- measures to enhance parking lot security (Pat Mayhew and Greg Braun);
-- crime analyses of parking lot auto thefts in Chula Vista, California (Nancy Plouffe and Rana Sampson);
-- police intelligence and the theft of vehicles for export (Rick Brown and Ronald Clarke); and,
-- publicity campaigns and car crime prevention (Emmanuel Barthe).

Silent Theft: The Private Plunder of Our Common Wealth
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Nothing new here

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Silent Theft: The Private Plunder of Our Common Wealth
David Bollier
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0415944821

Book Description

Until a 1998 federal court decision, a Minnesota publisher claimed a monopoly on access to all federal court decisions. A Texas company recently filed a patent on a kind of rice grown in India for centuries. Other businesses now claim ownership of mathematical algorithms embedded in software, valuable public lands acquired for five dollars an acre, and icebergs that they plan to transport and sell as fresh water.
In Silent Theft, David Bollier argues that a great untold story of our time is the staggering privatization and abuse of our common wealth. Corporations are engaged in a relentless plunder of dozens of resources that we collectively own-publicly funded medical breakthroughs, software innovation, the airwaves, the public domain of creative works, and even the DNA of plants, animals and humans. Too often, however, our government turns a blind eye-or sometimes helps give away our assets.
Amazingly, the silent theft of our shared wealth has gone largely unnoticed because we have lost our ability to see the commons. Spooling out one outrageous story after another, Bollier skillfully weaves together debates about the Internet, the environment, biotechnology, and the communications revolution. His fresh and compelling critique illuminates a rarely explored landscape in our political and cultural life.
Crisp and revelatory, Silent Theft is a bold attempt to develop a new language of the commons and, in the face of a market order that knows no bounds, to outline an ambitious new project for reclaiming our common wealth.

Customer Reviews:

Nothing new here.......2003-02-16

Bollier does a credible hob outlining the issues surrounding the theft of the public commons. Many of the issues he highlights are unbelievable. Just thinking about how much of the public commons are being given away is truly astounding (the mining act of 1872 is one example that has always bugged me. A pretty good deal to lock up mineral rights for a few dollars an acre.)

However, Bollier comes up short in his recommendations. He outlines a few suggestions as to how to stop the "silent theft", however, many of his ideas will require a quantum change in how business operates. There is no way Congress will agree to any of them. I would loved to have seen him address how to jump that obstacle.

Highly Useful.......2002-12-08

Bollier has written a very useful little book, of particular interest to liberals, Greens, and Libertarians, as well as the broader public. The book's thesis holds that the 'commons' -- understood as our collectively owned assets, (natural resources being one example) -- are under steady threat of enclosure (privatization) by an increasingly aggressive commercial sphere in search of expanding profits. His use of the more archaic terms 'commons' and 'enclosure' to describe the process is a shrewd one, connecting current encroachments to those more infamous enclosure laws of time past. Despite appearances, this is not an abstract bookish issue. Daily, the public faces such benchmark symptoms as depleted public resources, brand-name idolatry, open spaces overwhelmed by advertising, and threats to an unfettered internet. Ironically, what is disappearing, as Bollier points out, are those very public and personal places that provide a market economy with the societal wherewithall it needs to reproduce itself. Inasmuch as the market has its own parochial definition of rationality -- one that has increasingly become the public standard -- such commons are too often unable to justify themselves and thus are contracted and sold, disappearing at an alarming rate. Government's role in aiding and abetting these enclosures is also detailed, and while the book is severely critical of market myopia, it does not call for their elimination, but for an intelligent circumscription.

Traditionally, liberals have defended the public sphere. This work should help provide some backbone for rediscovering the importance of that commitment. It is a call to arms for those who understand the long-term significance of what the author calls the "Gift Economy", i.e. a free exchange among parties, as exemplified in the conditions leading to the explosive growth of the internet. Greens should like the emphasis on community-based solutions, while Libertarians should feel challenged to justify their paradigm, given the sociological priority of gift economies. Bollier's style makes for easy reading, along with a helpful bibliography. The book is neither weighty nor deep, but it does maintain a steady focus and serves as a useful compendium for understanding the rapidly shrinking public domain, and what we are losing in the process.

The Digest of Roman Law: Theft, Rapine, Damage, and Insult (Penguin Classics)
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The Digest of Roman Law: Theft, Rapine, Damage, and Insult (Penguin Classics)
Justinian
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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