Product Description

The first complete, expert guide to securities and investment fraud

Filled with expert guidance for detection and prevention of all kinds of securities fraud and investment misconduct, Securities Fraud helps you identify red flags of fraud and offers practical ways to detect and prevent it. Written by a Wall Street professional with three decades of experience spanning the most critical period of our financial marketsThis book challenges classic fraud theories, describing how to dismantle information silos that permit fraudsters to conceal their activities.

• Begins with an overview of the evolution of securities regulation and the impact of securities fraud
• Offers real cases and examples which illustrate recurring themes and red flags
• Provides the first guide of its kind to offer a complete look at the various kinds of securities fraud and investment misconduct

Securities Fraud is the essential guide you need for a bird's-eye view of fraud that may be taking place even now within your own organization and with your portfolio. ... Read more

Product Description
An in-depth, well-researched look at 100 hedge fund frauds

Compared to mutual funds, hedge funds are the James Bonds of the marketplace. They have been relatively unfettered by government regulation, and they play bigger games, take bigger risks, use unorthodox methods, and have the power to capture the public imagination in a way that their lesser counterparts have difficulty approaching. At once fascinating and startling, The Hedge Fund Fraud Casebook provides readers with a broad knowledge of hedge fund regulation through a look at the first 100 cases of proven fraud at hedge funds.

Compiling concrete data on cases of hedge fund fraud, The Hedge Fund Fraud Casebook provides you with a factual foundation for assessing this difficult area of risk.

• First comprehensive survey of hedge fund fraud including 100 chronological fraud cases
• Includes descriptions of each case, diagram of the player interaction, and tables detailing monies recovered, fines paid, prison terms, and professional sanctions
• Useful for both individual and professional investors, particularly given the last eighteen months of fraud and mismanagement among leading financial professionals and companies

The Hedge Fund Fraud Casebook provides a hedge fund professional's look at fraud and can help you prevent or avoid similar frauds in the future. It's a vital resource for any hedge fund manager or investor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Well researched book on an important topic
I found this book to be well researched and appropriately measured in it's conclusions.The author clearly knows the subject but also the limits of how to accurately predict future fraud.

Not at all what I expected: what you will find inside is
What I expected (wanted!) was an insight into fraud and near/fraud perpetuated by hedge funds.

I manage an endowment and receive frequent calls marketing hedge funds and funds of hedge funds.

My attitude is that any entity that wants me to invest had better deliver full disclosure of how it operates.Instead, hedge funds operate in essentially unregulated secrecy, self-evaluate their own investments, and in the past have overstated that value to increase fees to hedge fund management.

What you won't find in this book is insight into how and why hedge funds go bad.You won't find useful examples of how to avoid being fleeced by a hedge fund.

What you will find are the author's explanation that he got into the field of due diligence auditing because at middle age he wanted to be in an area of finance with little competition for jobs.Pages of a very basic primer on history of stock markets and stock market regulation.Complex charts showing that hedge funds implode when bad returns become public knowledge (duh!).And 100 "cases" of hedge fund fraud.These are short, one page, bare descriptions of what happened to or in the fund.For the most part, they are extracts of public records and court files.Worst, they are often about fraud committed on hedge funds by outsiders (e.g., brokers, auditors)not by hedge funds themselves.

This book is not a source for the investor trying to evaluate whether he should invest in hedge fund---or in a particular hedge fund.

Detailed research, but a decade out of date....
Bruce Johnson provides a helpful 38 page introduction on the general background to financial industry fraud. However, the majority of the book comprises two page summaries of 100 hedge fund fraud cases. While the analysis is relatively detailed, the information is of limited value to today's hedge fund investors as there is no analysis of any fraud after the year 2000! No Madoff, Bayou, Lipper, Lancer, Beacon Hill, KL Financial etc. Many of the cases which are reported prior to 2000 are obscure, dealing with small commodity pool operators and wealth advisors who would not be considered for investment by a current, institutional allocator. Overall, it seems as if the author has completed a large amount of admirable, detailed research, but has missed the opportunity to comment on fraud over the past decade, when the industry grew from a cottage industry to a global asset class.

Classic for Hedge Fund of Funds Professional
The book is a noted attempt to document all key hedge fund fraud cases in the US from 1968 to 2000. The analysis of each case is excellent, with very clear diagrams (C4). The findings from these cases have also been welled argued (C5) and they are very useful to practitioners, regulators and academics.

The Introduction and C1 are OK but C2 and C3 are also well written, giving some ideas of the uncertainties in the mortality of hedge funds as well as the uncertainties in how a suspected hedge fund fraud will be adjudicated in the enforcement environment.

Nothing is perfect and the book has two key shortcomings.
(1) The book only depicts books from 1968 to 2000 and misses out the period from 2000 onwards, when the hedge fund industry experienced exponential growth. Therefore, the material is slightly out of date for practitioner.
(2) The book gives some ideas of the psychology that may lead to the crimes and uncertainties in the mortality of hedge funds and the regulatory environement in C2 and C3. However, more work can be done to put up solid theories here.

On the whole, the book is a must read for hedge fund managers, lawyers, regulators and academics and no doubt will be much quoted in the future.

Congradulation! ... Read more

Product Description
Essential guidance for preventing fraud in the card-not-present (CNP) space

This book focuses on the prevention of fraud for the card-not-present transaction. The payment process, fraud schemes, and fraud techniques will all focus on these types of transactions ahead.

• Reveals the top 45 fraud prevention techniques
• Uniquely focuses on eCommerce fraud essentials
• Provides the basic concepts around CNP payments and the ways fraud is perpetrated

If you do business online, you know fraud is a part of doing business. Essentials of On-line Payment Security and Fraud Prevention equips you to prevent fraud in the CNP space. ... Read more

Product Description

With millions lost each year, cyber crime has evolved from a minor nuisance to a major concern involving well-organized actors and highly sophisticated organizations. Combining the best of investigative journalism and technical analysis, Cyber Fraud: Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures documents changes in the culture of cyber criminals and explores the innovations that are the result of those changes. The book uses the term Botnet as a metaphor for the evolving changes represented by this underground economy.

Copiously illustrated, this engaging and engrossing book explores the state of threats present in the cyber fraud underground. It discusses phishing and pharming, trojans and toolkits, direct threats, pump-and-dump scams, and other fraud-related activities of the booming cyber-underground economy. By examining the geopolitical and socio-economic foundations of a cyber threat landscape, the book specifically examines telecommunications infrastructure development, patterns and trends of internet adoption and use, profiles of specific malicious actors, threat types, and trends in these areas.

This eye-opening work includes a variety of case studies ― including the cyber threat landscape in Russia and Brazil. An in-depth discussion is provided on the Russian Business Network’s (RBN) role in global cyber crime as well as new evidence on how these criminals steal, package, buy, sell, and profit from the personal financial information of consumers. Armed with this invaluable information, organizations and individuals will be better able to secure their systems and develop countermeasures to disrupt underground fraud.

Customer Reviews (2)

Comprehensive, up-to-date, and completely 'user friendly'
With the coming of the computer age came a new brand of criminal conduct which came to be called 'cyber crime'. The use of computers and computer software to illicitly invade, to steal, to corrupt, and to disrupt. From 'lone wolf' amateur hackers to well organized criminal conspiracies, to sophisticated hostile governmental spying, cyber crime has emerged as a serious and daily threat to personal privacy, American business, and even national security. That's why "Cyber Fraud: Tactics, Techniques, And Procedures" is such a timely and critically important instructional textbook. The combined effort of seventeen knowledgeable, experienced, and expert authors and editors, "Cyber Fraud" describes the cyber criminal culture, along with such tactics and strategies employed by cyber defrauders including phishing and pharming, trojans and toolkits, direct threats, pump-and-dump scams, and more. Profusely illustrated with case examples, "Cyber Fraud" also covers how to deal with these various and on-going threats thereby enabling the reader to better understand the nature of these threats and how best to defend against them. Comprehensive, up-to-date, and completely 'user friendly', "Cyber Fraud" is a critically important addition for personal, professional, corporate, academic, and community library Computer Science reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

A very impressive, in depth look at cyber crime
This book is a 'must read' for cyber crime investigators and researchers.It offers a comprehensive, technical analysis of current cyber crime tactics covering everything from criminal organizational structure to a in-depth technical analysis of several modern malware specimens.Cyber Fraud provides concrete evidence of the high level of professionalism and sophistication employed by today's for-profit criminal organizations. ... Read more

Product Description
A fraud investigation is aimed at examining evidence to determine if a fraud occurred, how it happened, who was involved, and how much money was lost. Investigations occur in cases ranging from embezzlement, to falsification of financial statements, to suspicious insurance claims. Expert Fraud Investigation: A Step-by-Step Guide provides all the tools to conduct a fraud investigation, detailing when and how to investigate. This guide takes the professional from the point of opening an investigation, selecting a team, gathering data, and through the entire investigation process. Business executives, auditors, and security professionals will benefit from this book, and companies will find this a useful tool for fighting fraud within their own organizations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not that great a book
The book goes through the different steps of conducting an investigation.It tells you about what could happen if certain controls are not in place. However, there are not many real-life examples of fraud cases.

It worth buying
I've read a good part of this book and i found it really great. It met all my expectations and i recommend everybody who is interested in the area of fraud detection to buy it

Good, but...
This is a well written book, but not quite what I expected. Although the information contained is certainly informative and helpful, there really isn't enough of it. Many subjects get little more than a page in the book. For someone not trained in accounting, this would be a great book, but for someone with the education and some experience, it really didn't give me enough to justify the fairly steep price tag. If it had fleshed out more of the concepts and was another 100-200 pages longer, it would be a fantatic book, but it just not quite enough of what I neeeded. Her writing is excellent considering the technical nature of the subject matter, so I will certainly look into other titles by the author.

A good read for both beginners and experienced fraud investigators
I really like this book. I am a certified fraud examiner, and have been a sole practitioner practicing in this area since 1996. I read a few books and many articles on fraud every year. This is one of the best.

In a logically structured presentation, Coenen walks through all of the major types of fraud and discusses the thought process that an investigator should use when trying to detect each of them. The discussions of each thought process is typically aided by five to fifteen bullet points--not excessive lists by any means--that the investigator should make sure to consider.

She maintains an engaging, conversational tone throughout the book, with just enough detail and war stories to illustrate the procedures and techniques that she presents. Coenen's book reeks of actual, real-life experience. You can feel the depth and breadth of her fraud investigation experience as you read this book.

Expert Fraud Investigation starts out with three chapters describing the beginning of the cycle: finding fraud, beginning the investigation, and managing the case. These are useful not only for the investigator; attorneys or corporate managers hiring a fraud investigator will also benefit from the delineation of the thought processes and approaches that the investigator should be taking.

Chapters four through six provide a general overview of how to conduct a fraud investigation: searching for fraud, sources of information, and investigative techniques.These chapters give a good overview and some discussion of the thought processes to use.

Chapters seven through ten discuss specific types of fraud and specific investigative steps usually taken to detect them. They cover asset misappropriation schemes, financial statement frauds, corruption schemes, and external frauds such as Ponzi schemes and insurance fraud. The book then concludes with chapters on reporting and litigation, and other issues such as how to market a fraud investigation practice.

Expert Fraud Investigation presents its topic comprehensively, but without redundancy or overkill: Coenen hits each idea once and moves on. There is no new information that I didn't already know, but this book is a great summary of most of the things I need to know to do my work.It is probably a book I will pick up and read a few more times when I need a refresher or am stumped on a fraud investigation.

This book is a good read for fraud investigators with all levels of experience, for judges and lawyers who deal with expert witnesses or consultants in fraud cases, and for corporate managers fearful that they may need a fraud investigation at their own company.

Learn From an Expert Who's Been There, Done That!
Tracy Coenen's previous book, Essentials of Corporate Fraud, provides a great introduction to contemporary fraud issues that is an excellent starting point for people learning about fraud. This book, Expert Fraud Investigation: A Step-by-Step Guide, focuses on the nuts and bolts of investigating alleged, suspected or admitted frauds, providing insights every step of the way. As Tracy shows, it is a sensitive matter that can be a minefield for the inexperienced and unwary.

Drawing on her extensive experience as a certified fraud examiner (CFE) who has worked many cases, Tracy sets out the issues that she addresses at each stage of the fraud investigation process.It is a window into the thought processes of an experienced fraud investigator and a fascinating one at that. While there cannot be a cookie-cutter approach to fraud investigations or a rigid work program, Tracy identifies many considerations that could easily be missed by someone who does not do this type of work all the time. That could help you to avoid having a fraud investigation blow up in your face.

Tracy's conversational writing style makes Expert Fraud Investigation: A Step-by-Step Guide a quick and easy read. She provides many tips that seem to stem directly from her experiences in particular cases. You can just imagine her working these cases and dealing with the issues as they come up. This book, more than any other I have seen, gives you the feel of being with an expert as you work through the fraud investigation process together. You get to learn from her experience not only about the immediate issues at hand but also about preparing yourself for what may come next.

Expert Fraud Investigations: A Step-by-Step Guide would be particularly valuable to internal auditors who are called upon to look into potential frauds, managers wanting to understand traps to avoid when launching fraud investigations in their business units, and people developing their career in fraud examination and investigation.Experienced fraud investigators may be familiar with much of the material, but will likely find useful nuggets of information that they can put to good use.

Kudos to Tracy for demystifying the fraud investigation process and helping others learn from her experience.
... Read more

Product Description
Wang seeks to explain why one company committed securities fraud only during certain years and why some companies had a higher propensity to commit securities fraud. He finds evidence linking executive incentive compensation to securities fraud. Some corporate governance measures may also play a role in fraud control. Findings vary, however, depending on the stages of judicial proceedings at which securities fraud class action cases are examined. Researchers and practitioners from fields other than criminal justice, such as law and economics, management, and accounting, may find this work useful for compliance, governance, and risk management research and fraud control policy making. ... Read more

Product Description
Vineyard Days- a novel of murder, intrigue and greed highlighting the financial market collapse in 2008. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Boring, poorly written novel
I bought this on a whim because I trusted the previous reviewers (who are doubtless now going to ruin my rating by voting this review down, gotta love Amazon) but I need to be the only one who's willing to warn readers. This is a POORLY written novel by some guy (notice his awesome Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses tan) who probably knew someone who knew someone who was willing to publish this book. I am an educated person, and I pride myself on being able, after a few thousand books read, to be able to tell within the first 20 pages whether or not a book is worth it.

Well "Vineyard Days" is NOT. I'm paraphrasing here, but the dialog between the husband and wife protagonists goes something like this from the outset: "There's much to do on Martha's Vineyard on season, including kayaking, great restaurants and wonderful beaches!" "Goodness, I'm cold." It strikes me as something a frisky 85 year old would write...which is surprising since the author looks about 40.

I will admit that part of my disappointment is due to that fact that I thought a novel about a couple's adventure on MV would be about a 20- or 30-something couple, but the protagonists are in their 50s. It's a different generation and different perspective, and I was hoping for something a little more fresh coming from a fairly young author writing in 2009.

Just be aware of what you're going into if you purchase or rent this book. I would not be surprised if Gene Pisasale himself creates 10 different Amazon accounts so he can vote down the one negative review. But I hope it will help people in MY situation who are looking for a fresh adventure in Martha's Vineyard by an eloquent writer.

An eastern seaboard version of Tales of the City...
Author Gene Pisasale takes us through a whirlwind adventure through Martha's Vineyard not unlike Armistead Maupin does in his Tales of the City series - current political and financial events are brought to light via a scintillating mystery, and his use of geographical cues makes you feel like you're right there!Pisasale hits a home-run in his debut offering, can't wait for the follow-up!

Good Descriptions, good mystery, hard to read writing style
I started to read Vineyard Days by Gene Pisasale but I just couldn't get into it. The premise of the story is what intrigued me. A couple goes on vacation and stumbles upon a mystery. And while it was interesting, I just found myself not liking the style of writing Gene did. There was lots of .... at the end of sentences and I found that distracting and hard to read. Although I did not particularly like this book, I think if you have been to Martha's Vineyard, you would really enjoy it. His descriptions were phenomenal and really brought you there. The mystery portion of the book was also good. I just couldn't get past the writing style.

Martha's Vineyard adventure
Vineyard days is a spellbinding exploration of New England's best vacation destination. The main characters Jim and Natalie take a week off from their busy work schedules to enjoy some well earned "down time" on the island. Pisasale is a master of weaving Edgartown's rich whaling history, controversy swirling around the Chappaquiddick tragedy, the unique beauty of the island and the ebb and flow of island life into a masterful story. As Jim and Natalie explore island eateries, beaches and pathways, they slowly become caught in the web of a murder mystery. For those that need a nice diversion from the long shadows, short day lengths and cold weather this read should give you the fix you're looking for.

Great Read
Intrigue and murder collide with summer vacation in this fun read.Set in Martha's Vineyard, the trip takes the reader to the seashore and the smell of the ocean.In addition to the wonderful narration, tourist destination points and restaurants are pursued by the characters on their vacation.As the vacation unfolds, a parallel mystery develops with unexpected twists and turns.This wonderful read will have you planning your next beach vacation complete with oceanview. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Mississippi Business Journal, published by Venture Publications on March 29, 2004. The length of the article is 1355 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Business community ponders fate of Bernie Ebbers.(SECURITIES FRAUD)
Author: Lynne Jeter
Publication: Mississippi Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 29, 2004
Publisher: Venture Publications
Volume: 26Issue: 13Page: 17(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
As online commerce has expanded over the last two years, so has the incidence (and the intensity of the media coverage) of the unauthorized use of credit cards by fraud rings for online purchases. Almost 45 percent of online nonbuyers say that better security for their credit card and personal information would encourage them to start buying products online this year. ... Read more

Product Description
Managing Securities Fraud Claims is an authoritative, insider's perspective on key strategies for representing and advising clients in today's securities enforcement environment. Featuring partners from some of the nation's leading law firms, these experts guide the reader through the key issues relevant to today's securities cases and provide a historical perspective on how the regulations and case law have evolved. From conducting early case assessment and handling expert testimony to defending against claims of loss causation and managing parallel criminal and civil cases, these authors provide a strategic look into some of the most pressing issues for securities practitioners today, as well as offer advice on how to interact with the SEC and other regulators in an evolving enforcement environment. Additionally, these leaders discuss the issues that will drive future cases, including the amendment of investment fund partnership agreements, the accuracy of hedge fund statements to investors, and the heightened scrutiny of investor communications. The different niches represented and the breadth of perspectives presented enable readers to get inside some of the great legal minds of today, as these experienced lawyers offer up their thoughts around the keys to success within this ever-evolving field.

Inside the Minds provides readers with proven business intelligence from C-Level executives and lawyers (Chairman, CEO, CFO, CMO, Partner) from the world's most respected companies and firms nationwide. Each chapter is comparable to an essay/thought leadership piece and is a future-oriented look at where an industry, profession, or topic is heading and the most important issues for the future. Each author has been selected based upon their experience and C-level standing within the professional community.

Chapters Include:

1. William R. Maguire , Partner, Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP "Current Issues in Securities Fraud Litigation"
2. Perrie M. Weiner, Partner and International Co-Chairman, Securities Litigation, DLA Piper LLP "Understanding Key Trends in Securities Enforcement"
3. Abby F. Rudzin, Partner, O Melveny & Myers LLP "Loss Causation and Damages Defense Strategies"
4. Wm. Shaw McDermott, Partner and Michael D. Ricciuti, Partner, K&L Gates LLP "Effective Strategies for a New Regulatory Environment"

Appendix Includes:

Second Amended Joint Scheduling Order In re Royal Dutch/Shell Transport Securities Litigation, No. 04-374 (D.N.J. May 2, 2007) ... Read more

Product Description
The rapid growth and constant change of IT systems requires that systems be continually re-evaluated in terms of their ability to maintain their integrity.This audit provides detailed information about many of the issues involved with information security, and describes an assessment process for evaluating your organisation's vulnerability to security problems. It enables you to: * implement a computer security and fraud prevention audit * deal with the resistance to your recommendations * complete a threat and vulnerability analysis * evaluate it infrastructure security * analysis and share audit results ... Read more

Product Description
Manual to assist in establishing and implementing a teamwork for the financial security of a dental practice. Written by a dentist in private practice, this text covers the four basic areas of financial security. Uses tabbed paging and eight major tabs for quick reference. Outline format. Wire-spiral binding. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's large-scale digitization efforts. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the original text that can be both accessed online and used to create new print copies. The Library also understands and values the usefulness of print and makes reprints available to the public whenever possible. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found in the HathiTrust, an archive of the digitized collections of many great research libraries. For access to the University of Michigan Library's digital collections, please see http://www.lib.umich.edu and for information about the HathiTrust, please visit http://www.hathitrust.org ... Read more

Product Description
Written by the people responsible for designing and maintaining AT&T's Internet gateway, this book has become the definitive description and practical guide to protecting networks from hacker attacks through the Internet. The book shows how to set up a "firewall" gateway--a dedicated computer equipped with safeguards that acts as a single, more easily defended Internet connection.Amazon.com Review
Essential information for anyone wanting to protectInternet-connected computers from unauthorized access. Includes:

• thorough discussion of security-related aspects of TCP/IP;
• step-by-step plans for setting up firewalls;
• hacking and monitoring tools the authors have built to rigorously test and maintain firewalls;
• pointers to public domain security tools on the net;
• first-hand step-by-step accounts of battles with the "Berferd"hackers; and
• practical discussions of the legal aspects of security.

Customer Reviews (22)

Enjoyable and useful
This is an introductory text, that is entertainly written.I originally read the first edition of this book.While preparing a recent seminar I found that I wanted to reference it, but then realized that the material was somewhat dated. The second edition is from 2003, which is still 7 years old, but I find that the information is still very useful, the definition of a classic.

More than a mere book on firewalls, this is a primer for the entire workings of the Internet Protocols.It has clear explanations of DNS, DHCP, TCP, UDP, ICMP, SSL, FTP and many other protocols without all the nitty gritty details that you'll find in a book like "TCP/IP Illustrated." , which I recommend if you need more technical detail.

The authors describe the risks associated with the protocols and strategies for protecting your systems.But, they go further, and explain other attacks and how they might circumvent the barriers that a sysadmin might erect.

The exposition on Firewalls and VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) begins in Part IV.There are specific strategies given for protecting several protocols.No specifics on CISCO PIX, sorry guys, the examples use software generally available on Unix (FreeBSD).But, that's mainly a syntax issue, the principles are the same for the large comercial firewall systems.But, once again, if you need specifics, you'll need to read the manuals.This book will give you the foundation to understand what you read in the manuals.Firewall manuals are dry in comparison and generally lack strategic recommendations.

The first appendix does a decent job of explaining public key cryptography.The second appendix is "dated" though in that it attempts to give "links" to other resources.After 7+ years, you can imagine the problems with that.

Likewise the bibliography mainly cites texts from the 1990's; although there is one reference from 1872: "Through the Looking Glass", Lewis Carroll.Typical of the entertaining quotes throughout the book, "When I use a word. . .it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less." And perhaps that's a fitting summary of this book's purpose, to familiarize you with the meanings of the "Carrollesque" words associated with Internet Security.

What, you don't own this?
You should buy this book.Then you should read this book.

A great overview, but a little thin on details.
This book is an excellent comprehensive introduction to computer security from policies to technologies.However, as pointed out by other reviewers, the depth of content when it comes to specifics is rather shallow, but one must take into account that to discuss each of these topics in depth would require volumes of text, and much of the specific information can easily be found in texts devoted specifically to those individual topics or from online sources.Given the breadth of information discussed, I think it strikes a very effective balance in displaying the information necessary to understand the basics of computer security.

The book should have a home on the bookshelf of anyone who deals with computer systems.It also serves as a great primer for those in management or anyone else who is less than technical but needs a pretty concise 30,000 ft. level overview to understand what their technical staff is talking about.

Good upgrade to a classic
This second edition has all the qualities the first edition had 10 years ago: Their writing is clear, they provide a sober assessment of the costs & benefits of various services (as opposed to other reviewers, I don't think the authors had much of an anti-Microsoft bias, just a realistic perspective on where Windows products are regarding security). The book is still fairly compact and it comes with an excellent biography and pointers to security software.

Yet another worthwhile book for us all in the IT industry!
Addison-Wesley in cooperation with William Cheskwick, Steven Bellovin and Aviel Rubin have produced yet another well-researched publication.

This book is all about Internet security, firewalls, VPNs and much more, all of which are hot topics and renowned buzzwords within today's IT industry.

In the first chapter, the authors express their view on network security and demonstrate the different methods an Administrator can use in order to secure their network(s). This is carried out by categorizing security into Host-Based and Perimeter security.

The second and third chapters are approximately 50 pages covering basic protocols, including IPv6, DNS, FTP, SNMP, NTP, RPC-based protocols and a several more like the famous NAT. The chapters are concluded with a summary on wireless security.

The next five chapters (chapter 4 to 8 inclusive), analyze various attacks used against networks and server operating systems in an attempt to exploit them. There is a wealth of information concerning hacking, allowing the reader to enter the mind of a hacker in terms of what they think and how they proceed to meet their goal.

One complete chapter is dedicated to various password tactics in which one can ensure that a hacker's life is made more difficult should they attempt to break into a few accounts using well-known methods related to password guessing. CHAP, PAP, Radius and PKI are also analyzed.

Chapter 9 to 12 are dedicated to Firewalls and VPNs which, in passing, happen to be my favourite chapters. They offer an in-depth analysis of the Firewall concept, packet filtering, application-level filtering and circuit level gateways. It proceeds with information about the filtering services, giving detailed examples on how one could use IPChains to create a simple or complex set of rules to efficiently block/permit packets entering in and out the network.This is perhaps the only downside to this informative book, where IPTables would have been beneficial to include, since people rarely use IPchains these days.

Lastly, chapter 12 talks about VPNs, their encryption methods, and considers both their weaknesses and advantages.

In addition to this, the book continues with several more chapters covering general questions that may arise for the reader, such as intranet routing, administration security and intrusion detection systems.

Towards the end, the authors talk about their personal experiences with people trying to hack into their companies and, as a result, explain the step- by- step process of how they managed to fight them and secure their networks. These pages are simply a goldmine for anyone interested in this area.

In summary, I'd say that the book is well worth its money and would suggest it to anyone interested in network security and firewalls. I am certain they won't be disappointed simply because the book has a lot to offer... ... Read more

Product Description
Thousands of people every year are fooled into investing in companies that turn out to be downright criminal. We've seen it happen; It may even have happened to you. But it doesn't have to. In almost every case of major corporate fraud over the last century, sharp-eyed investors could have picked out warning signs and exited before the crash.

The basic techniques of corporate fraud have changed little over time. The danger signs that cropped up around Charles Ponzi’s international postage stamp scheme in the 1920s and Stanley Goldblum’s insurance company in the 1940s are the same as those at Enron, Tyco, and WorldCom.

Investors have fallen for the same bag of tricks again and again, despite the fact that every business rogue leaves tracks in the sand.

The Forewarned Investor is the first book to show you how to identify the next Enron or the next WorldCom.Don’t get fooled again! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

insightful
This book changed the way I invest.It is a must read before putting your money on the line!

Jim Cramer's Right. You should read this.
Jim Cramer gets it right.This book is one of most valuable I have ever read in terms of helping me invest my money -- and I've read alot.It teaches the reader what to look for to make sure they are investing in good sound companies and not the Enron's of the world. It is one thing to find an exciting stock, it is another to have the confidence to know that you aren't getting swindled.This book gave me that confidence.

Interesting, Informative Read
A great read going through the last 100+ years of corporate fraudsters.The authors really make history and the characters come alive through their storytelling.They also bring out amazing parallels among the frauds and show how people could have spotted the dangers before they lost everything.Good lessons to know and to keep in mind for the future.A great book. ... Read more

Product Description
This book examines the history of white-collar crime in England from the Victorian period to the early twentieth century. In the period between the 1840s and the 1920s the British economy was transformed from small-scale capitalism dominated by individual traders and partnerships to a complex financial structure dominated by large, joint stock companies. The tremendous growth of big business and the complexity of the corporate form created a world of new opportunities for criminal exploitation. The promotion and management of public companies and the trading of commercial securities proved vulnerable to the white-collar crimes of fraud and embezzlement on the part of those directors, managers and stockbrokers who were entrusted with investors' money. Problems of financial fraud were exacerbated by a climate of laissez-faire which championed the most permissive commercial legislation in the world, and which undermined efforts at greater state regulation of business. White-collar crime wreaked havoc on the modern British economy, robbing the public of millions of pounds, undermining trust in commercial integrity and depressing the level of investment in new industries. ... Read more