Rating: 
Summary: Pretty good summation of security practices
Review: The author certainly understands windows security from the administrator's point of view. He isn't going to launch into the deficiencies of Lanman in great detail, but he will tell you how to allow only NTLMv2 instead, or even better...uninstall all of the MS deadly ports altogether (what are they doing on a mail server anyway???)To be honest I'm primarily a Unix person (FreeBSD when possible) so I feel really constricted in the windows environment and thus don't know as much as I should about securing the boxes. This book allows me to jump into the windows world (since I obviously need at least one windows box around for work) and make intelligent choices regarding configuration. The small number of pages is actually a good thing since the author skips all of the general security tips and knowledge that you can get in 1,000 other books nowadays, getting right to the meat of it: what to click and type to secure the box. This also has the pleasant side-affect of reducing the cost from the normal range of 50-60 to around 20, which pretty much means that buying this book is a no-brainer. In summary, a Unix geek can get away with this book since it's so direct and easy to follow. It requires some previous security knowledge but not a boatload.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good summation of security practices
Review: The author certainly understands windows security from the administrator's point of view. He isn't going to launch into the deficiencies of Lanman in great detail, but he will tell you how to allow only NTLMv2 instead, or even better...uninstall all of the MS deadly ports altogether (what are they doing on a mail server anyway???) To be honest I'm primarily a Unix person (FreeBSD when possible) so I feel really constricted in the windows environment and thus don't know as much as I should about securing the boxes. This book allows me to jump into the windows world (since I obviously need at least one windows box around for work) and make intelligent choices regarding configuration. The small number of pages is actually a good thing since the author skips all of the general security tips and knowledge that you can get in 1,000 other books nowadays, getting right to the meat of it: what to click and type to secure the box. This also has the pleasant side-affect of reducing the cost from the normal range of 50-60 to around 20, which pretty much means that buying this book is a no-brainer. In summary, a Unix geek can get away with this book since it's so direct and easy to follow. It requires some previous security knowledge but not a boatload.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, hope they update it soon.
Review: This book was probably just right when it was released, but it's time to update it for 2000/XP and drop NT entirely. I only looked at the 2000 stuff, since those are the kind I support, but the info was very helpful, and even though we're several service packs down the road, it's still accurate. I didn't read the NT information (though it's largely the same, since they have the same roots) for accuracy as much, but it's still worth the price for the 2000 answers.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, hope they update it soon.
Review: This book was probably just right when it was released, but it's time to update it for 2000/XP and drop NT entirely. I only looked at the 2000 stuff, since those are the kind I support, but the info was very helpful, and even though we're several service packs down the road, it's still accurate. I didn't read the NT information (though it's largely the same, since they have the same roots) for accuracy as much, but it's still worth the price for the 2000 answers.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent material
Review: This guide is another testament to the quality of the O'Reilly publications. Norbergs systematic approach and steps are concise, and rarely found in other NT security documents. The section on remote administration is indispensable -covering the options of Terminal Server, pcAnywhere and Cygnus SSH. This book is a must for every NT administrators library and any security architect.
Rating: 
Summary: A great security book if it fits your needs and architecture
Review: This is a GREAT book for 2 scenarios: 1) You want a greater understanding of how to secure the NT/2000 operating system (without using 3rd party add-on software). It offers excellent ideas and suggestions on various services and protocols that can be completely disabled in most environments. 2) You run a stand-alone server. When Stefan Norberg says bastion server, that's what he means, NOTHING is getting in. This includes a lot of domain traffic. It would be a disaster to apply this to a computer sitting in a Windows 2000 domain. If you have a stand-alone web server that you want to lock down, then this is you book! As for other observations... A few of the extremely useful NT4 bastion server steps are not even given for Windows 2000 use. I was especially disappointed that he gave no description on how to disable the DOS subsystem in Window 2000 (because the NT4 steps sure won't work). The author provides his email address, but don't bother. He doesn't reply to professional emails containing legitimate comments on his work. Next time, he better just leave the email address out. I would prefer a 2nd Edition with the NT4 information removed (and even some of the information on the vastly unpopular IPsec) to allow for more in-depth material on Windows 2000 (and even the up and coming Windows XP).
Rating:
Summary: A great security book if it fits your needs and architecture
Review: This is a GREAT book for 2 scenarios: 1) You want a greater understanding of how to secure the NT/2000 operating system (without using 3rd party add-on software). It offers excellent ideas and suggestions on various services and protocols that can be completely disabled in most environments. 2) You run a stand-alone server. When Stefan Norberg says bastion server, that's what he means, NOTHING is getting in. This includes a lot of domain traffic. It would be a disaster to apply this to a computer sitting in a Windows 2000 domain. If you have a stand-alone web server that you want to lock down, then this is you book! As for other observations... A few of the extremely useful NT4 bastion server steps are not even given for Windows 2000 use. I was especially disappointed that he gave no description on how to disable the DOS subsystem in Window 2000 (because the NT4 steps sure won't work). The author provides his email address, but don't bother. He doesn't reply to professional emails containing legitimate comments on his work. Next time, he better just leave the email address out. I would prefer a 2nd Edition with the NT4 information removed (and even some of the information on the vastly unpopular IPsec) to allow for more in-depth material on Windows 2000 (and even the up and coming Windows XP).
Rating: 
Summary: Starting from scratch? This'll work, otherwise don't bother
Review: This is an OK book if you want to get a handle on how to install a secure server only. If you already have a server that is installed and configured, you won't find this book that useful. THe author, tells you all kinds of things not to do that I had already done, and going back to the beginning on all that stuff is way too much of a bother. THis is also NOT a book on how to set up a secure web server, but rather a secure domain server. Don't buy this book thinking you will secure your website as I did, because if you do you will be disappointed. I can sum this book up in one or two sentences. Turn off all your services, disconnect it from any and all cables, do not assign any administrator users, do not allow anyone to log on, oh yeah and do not turn the power on and then only then will you have a secure server. It is full of impractical suggestions such as those, what a joke.
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