As businesses and consumers become more dependent on complex multinational information systems, the need to understand and devise sound information security systems has never been greater. This title takes a practical approach to information security by focusing on real-world examples. While not sidestepping the theory, the emphasis is on developing the skills and knowledge that security and information technology students and professionals need to face their challenges. The book is organized around four major themes:

• Cryptography: classic cryptosystems, symmetric key cryptography, public key cryptography, hash functions, random numbers, information hiding, and cryptanalysis
• Access control: authentication and authorization, password-based security, ACLs and capabilities, multilevel and multilateral security, covert channels and inference control, BLP and Biba's models, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems
• Protocols: simple authentication protocols, session keys, perfect forward secrecy, timestamps, SSL, IPSec, Kerberos, and GSM
• Software: flaws and malware, buffer overflows, viruses and worms, software reverse engineering, digital rights management, secure software development, and operating systems security

Additional features include numerous figures and tables to illustrate and clarify complex topics, as well as problems—ranging from basic to challenging—to help readers apply their newly developed skills. A solutions manual and a set of classroom-tested PowerPoint® slides will assist instructors in their course development. Students and professors in information technology, computer science, and engineering, and professionals working in the field will find this reference most useful to solve their information security issues.

About the Author

MARK STAMP, PHD, is Professor of Computer Science, San José State University, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate-level information security courses. In addition to his experience gained in private industry and academia, Dr. Stamp has seven years' experience working as a cryptanalyst at the U.S. National Security Agency.