Rating: 
Summary: Great Mix of Technical Detail and Real-world application
Review: Just got done reading "Scene of the Cybercrime" and as a manager of a large computer and networking security unit, I have to say this is problably the best book I've ever read about computer law and forensics. One of the big problems I have with our team is that we have a number of technicians who want to know what button to push in their copy of Encase, but have no idea what they're doing and why. We work in a technical and legal environment, and its almost impossible to find good references that address both the forensic and the legal implications of our work. This book did a fantastic job covering the technical details of how computer security works, and then took things to a level I've not seen in any other book I've reviewed for our team: a first-hand real life perspective of how law enforcement and the legal system works and how that affects our effectiveness as keepers of computer and network security. Other books I've read just said "we did this and that and he did or didn't go to jail". That doesn't help us create a case! The information in this book also would have have been nice to have, given that we actually were held accountable for errors we never would have made had I read this book before making them. I'd give this book 10 stars if I could, just for the money is would have saved our company had this book been available a year ago.
Rating:
Summary: Great Mix of Technical Detail and Real-world application
Review: Just got done reading "Scene of the Cybercrime" and as a manager of a large computer and networking security unit, I have to say this is problably the best book I've ever read about computer law and forensics. One of the big problems I have with our team is that we have a number of technicians who want to know what button to push in their copy of Encase, but have no idea what they're doing and why. We work in a technical and legal environment, and its almost impossible to find good references that address both the forensic and the legal implications of our work. This book did a fantastic job covering the technical details of how computer security works, and then took things to a level I've not seen in any other book I've reviewed for our team: a first-hand real life perspective of how law enforcement and the legal system works and how that affects our effectiveness as keepers of computer and network security. Other books I've read just said "we did this and that and he did or didn't go to jail". That doesn't help us create a case! The information in this book also would have have been nice to have, given that we actually were held accountable for errors we never would have made had I read this book before making them. I'd give this book 10 stars if I could, just for the money is would have saved our company had this book been available a year ago.
Rating: 
Summary: <Yawn> Tell Me Something I Don't Already Know
Review: Littlejohn Shinder writes a fairly topical analyses of various facets of cybercrime -including several- what can only be described as Computers 101 sections but if you're a typical n00b then it will all seem like a glorious epiphany. In Ch 4 she gets a little on the didactic side where she attempts to debunk the various stereotypes and cliched mindsets associated with the hacking community but she falls far short of any real insight.
Don't bother reading this book if you have even a modicum of tech savvy - the writer won't be telling you anything that you don't already know or figured out for yourself hands on. BTW, most of the URLS provided as reference in this book are 404, which is only to be expected given its 2002 publication date, however I include the comment here in this review because if you're like me, then you like to check out the resources the writer used.
Lastly, by no stretch of the imagination should this title be considered a computer forensics book. The only audience that will consider said title as such are executive officers and marketing types who don't have a clue.
Rating:
Summary: Great Practical Research and Reference Tool
Review: Ms. Shinder has put together a well-written book that is both very exacting yet not so high-brow that the average person will be overwhelmed. This is an excellent "starter manual" to get acquainted with the field and a great reference manual for those already there or who need a refresher course in the material. Good addition to any law enforcement agency's shelf or for anyone in the corporate world looking to beef up their computer systems.
Rating:
Summary: Clear, Concise, Easy to read
Review: Ms. Shinder has written a clear, concise, easy to read book on the various aspects of cyber-crime. As a technical writer turned novelist, I find the scope not only useful in my technical work, but also in my fictional writing. This book came highly recommended by another writer as an excellent source of information for anyone wanting information on this subject. While it does not give you step-by-step details on specific programs, it does give you what you need to understand this timely subject. The text is technical, but the style is such that even non-technical people can read and understand it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the subject - whether personal, on the job, or as a writer.
Rating: 
Summary: Handy little book
Review: Overall, a very good book.
At times, tries to be too much to too many.
But good info.
Rating: 
Summary: Too basic -- no technical guts
Review: Possibly my expectations were too high for this book -- I thought "Computer Forensics Handbook" would present a technical discussion of computer forensics but was disappointed. Discussion of discovery of digital evidence doesn't even come until the 10th chapter. The book tends to deal in generalities of information security and is not technical in nature.If you know nothing about cyber security and crime, then it's not a bad read. If you expect good techical discussions in computer forensics, this book falls far short. If I had read it sooner I would have returned it.
Rating:
Summary: Joe Friday Needs a Laptop
Review: So your friendly local police officer doesn't have enough to worry about? Now someone -- we know it's not Al Gore -- invented the Internet, and Sgt. Joe Friday has to deal with cybercrime. Some sage said "More people will rob you with a fountain pen than a gun," but author Deb Shinder points out evil-doers have moved on to computers and computer networks. I've read only Chapter 1, but it's apparent Shinder has a grasp of the nature of cybercrime, and she's offered a excellent primer for IT professionals, law enforcement types, and the informed public. The book is laid out nicely, and includes real-life examples, and FAQs. What most of us don't realize is the nature and scope of cybercrime, and Shinder's book is a good place to start your education.
Rating:
Summary: Ideal for the intended audience
Review: This book is an ideal introduction for non-computer professionals to the burgeoning world of cybercrime. Computers are being used in crimes of all types, from child pornography to stalking to financial fraud, and law enforcement officers and agencies often need assistance in understanding the technical aspects of such crimes. This book will also be invaluable for other law enforcement professionals, such as prosecutors, who must assist juries in learning enough of the "technical" aspects of a crime to render a just verdict.
Rating:
Summary: Ideal for the intended audience
Review: This book is an ideal introduction for non-computer professionals to the burgeoning world of cybercrime. Computers are being used in crimes of all types, from child pornography to stalking to financial fraud, and law enforcement officers and agencies often need assistance in understanding the technical aspects of such crimes. This book will also be invaluable for other law enforcement professionals, such as prosecutors, who must assist juries in learning enough of the "technical" aspects of a crime to render a just verdict.
|
