Silence on the Wire

Praise

“What Good Technical Books Adorn Your Library?” posting cites Silence on the Wire and Hacking: The Art of Exploitation.
—Slashdot  

“Definitely not the everyday security book for everyday problems. You’re in the target audience if you enjoy the fun of the unexpected . . . You’ll have fun with this book.”
—Technocrat   

“Overall, I enjoyed reading the book, I found much of the information presented to be fascinating (and a bit scary).”
—Larry Osterman blog  

“There’s plenty to like in this book if you look for the details that interest you.”
—Tao Security  

“In this text the author is showing off visions and possibilities, drawing a sort of ‘zen of security’ that is a in-depth technical description of possible (or already started) scenarios.”
—Neural Magazine  

Thumbs-up recommendation: “Thought-provoking… paints a sobering picture of just how hard it is to ensure any kind of privacy in the electronic age.”
—Dr. Dobb’s Journal  

“Quite interesting for those who are interested in security whether it would be local security or network security.”
—GNUMan.com  

“If you are a ‘hacker’ type in the old sense of the word, fond of taking things apart to see how they work, and you have any interest in security, you will probably find significant portions of this book intriguing.”
—;login:   

“Interesting reading for full-on paranoids, hackers, and people involved in coding and security.”
—M Station   

“Informed and informative, thoughtful and though-provoking… enthusiastically recommended to the attention of technophiles.”
—Reviewer’s Bookwatch in Midwest Book Review  

“The amount of detail is stunning for such a small volume and the examples are amazing… You will definitely think different after reading this title.”
—INSecure Magazine  

“It isn’t dry and pedantic–it’s juicy and enticing. The more you read, the more you want to know… This is a marvelous book for the active mind of the intellectually curious.”
—Tuscon Computer Society   

“For the pure information security specialist this book is pure gold… I
could also see this being an excellent supplementary text for a
university-level course in information security.”
—Windows Security  

“Totally rises head and shoulders above other such security-related title… It’s hard to find a work to compare in any field of computational study, let alone security.”
—Linux User & Developer  

“An out-of-the-box, thought-provoking book that escapes the everyday
standard security practice discussions of firewalls and social
engineering… This is the stuff of spy novels and CIA and NSA legend.”
—asp.netPRO  

“Excellent! This is one that I would dub a “must read” for anyone
working directly with network security.”
—About.com  

“A whirlwind of deep technical information that gets to the very
underpinning of computer security… makes you think about serious
security problems that you never thought of before, or were even aware
existed. Read it and get ready to be humbled.”
—UNIX Review  

“Deserves the widest possible readership for its powerful message on
computer vulnerabilities in a today’s computer-oriented society.”
—Midwest Book Review  

“It is not a security text, by any means, but rather a series of
explorations that take our ‘professional paranoid’ mentality and examine
some issues we seldom consider.”
—Internet Review Project  

“A very good introduction to the intricacies of certain security
problems and a very extensive guide to passive reconnaissance.”
—Flavio’s TechnoTalk  

Article entitled, “Analyzing esoteric attacks highlights where security
can succeed and how secure devices can fail in unforeseen ways;”
“Do-it-yourself ethos pervades the book… this broad mindset can uncover
major security flaws — but not where you’d think to look.”
—Enterprise Systems  

“Read this to expand your horizons, not to solve today’s issue… The book
is well produced. In contrast to many of today’s publications, it is
mercifully free of typos and well organized.”
—Beryllium Sphere  

“A refreshing departure from most technical books… demonstrates how to
look at things in a new light and find connections that aren’t
immediately obvious: not only thinking outside the box, but twisting the
box, shaking it, and finding a way to exploit it.”
—WatchGuard Wire  

9/10 ranking: “Adds an innovative twist to otherwise boring aspects of network security… The descriptions of indirect attacks that can be waged on computer systems or networks alone are worth the cost, as they will provide hours of enjoyable reading for any self-proclaimed security enthusiast.”
—TechIMO  

“What makes this book a must-read for sysadmins are the clear explanations and practical insights into the technologies that we manage. What makes it a joy to read are the author’s appealing humility,
sense of humor and vast knowledge.”
—Open.ITWorld.com  

Silence on the Wire “has fundamentally changed the way I look at many things in my day-to-day computing existence.”
—ngdev  

“I was hooked… I give this book a 7 out of 10 for an interesting read.”
—Edmonton Linux User Group  

“Zalewski’s explanations make it clear that he’s tops in the industry.”
—Computerworld  

“This unconventional book follows the story of a piece of information from the first key-press all the way to the remote party at the other end of the wire.”
—Book News UK  

“The discovery of a technical book in this style is cool… Getting in the head of someone who knows how to do [passive reconnaissance] can be a challenge unless they choose to reveal how they think and observe. This book is one of the rare opportunities to peek inside.”
—IEEE Cipher  

“[Zalewski] takes you on a tour that is enlightening and fun. You’ll learn a boatload of stuff that people rarely cover, and you’ll find that this opens up new avenues for you.”
—Blog of Jose Nazario  

“Always good-natured in its attempt to show the relationship between mathematical theory and methods of attack.”
— Week 

“An eye-opening technical look at what sophisticated analysis can reveal about the wild, wild Net and the people who use and abuse it.”
—Netsurfer Digest  

“Points out where the electronic dust bunnies are hiding under the computer bed. I bookmarked the heck out of SotW, and you will too.”
—MacCompanion  

“A thoughtful, clever analysis of how things work… If you’re a security type, you don’t want to miss this one.”
—Books-on-Line  

“If you work in information warfare, this should be mandatory reading! If you are responsible for very high value targets… it is imperative that you read Zalewski’s work page by page.”
—Amazon.com review, posted by director of training & certification for SANS Institute  

“You’ll definitely treasure this volume… fills a gap in the security library that most people don’t even realize exists.”
—Duffbert’s Random Musings

“Author Michal Zalewski has long been known and respected in the hacking and security communities for his intelligence, curiosity and creativity, and this book is truly unlike anything else out there.”
—Markecek.kup.to  

“What I particularly liked is the author’s attention to detail. I’d start reading a chapter and think, ‘Yeah, I know this,’ but then realize that he was just leading me through the basics because he had something important and interesting to say that I probably did NOT know… and that was usually true.”
—A.P. Lawrence  

“More narrative than reference work, this book will be riveting reading for security professionals and students as well as technophiles interested in learning about how computer security fits into the big picture and high-level hackers seeking to broaden their understanding of their craft.”
—IT Observer  

“This book will be riveting reading for security professionals and students as well as technophiles interested in learning about how computer security fits into the big picture and high-level hackers seeking to broaden their understanding of their craft.”
—Lockergnome