Cobb's Guide to PC and LAN Security

Cobb's Guide to PC & LAN Security

Formerly The NCSA Guide to PC & LAN Security

This page provides access to sections of Stephen Cobb's Guide to PC & LAN Security, which first appeared in 1992, was heavily revised in 1996, and then reprinted in 2000.

While some of the content is now dated, the book still delivers solid advice and provides a useful historical snapshot of both evolving and enduring issues in computer security.

One example is the 'layered approach' to security, something that many people working in security today think of as a recent development. However, you can see it illustrated in the 1992 edition:

* Author's Guild Reprint Edition

The author's notes on each chapter of Cobb's Guide to PC & LAN Security are provided here, listed according to the table of contents (below).

Update 2004: Selected chapters of this book are being made available online, free of charge, starting with Chapter 15. See the Table of Contents below for links to chapter notes.

Final chapter now available online! Chapter 15
(This is a 600Kb PDF file and requires Adobe Acrobat.)

Cobb's Guide to PC & LAN Security
Table of Contents with Links to Author Notes

Chapter 1. Security Matters: Assessing the problems, threats, and issues
Chapter 2. Security Solutions: Basic concepts and techniques
Chapter 3. Security Planning: Risk analysis and security policy
Chapter 4. Secure Hardware: Defending and insuring equipment
Chapter 5. Secure Power: Spikes, Sparks, and Electrical Threats
Chapter 6. Secure Sites: Defending sites and systems
Chapter 7. Secure Access: Controls, passwords, and encryption
Chapter 8. Secure Data: Backup, backup, backup
Chapter 9. Secure Code: Defeating viruses, worms and other malicious code
Chapter 10. Secure Software: Piracy, bugs, and other "soft" threats
Chapter 11. Secure Networks I: Generic network defense
Chapter 12. Secure Networks II: Protecting name brand networks
Chapter 13. Secure Communications: WANs, remote access, and the Internet
Chapter 14. Secure People: Hacking and ethical issues
Chapter 15. Security in the Future: How to become and remain secure*
Appendix A: Threat List
Appendix B: A Brief Guide to Batch Files
Appendix C: Computer Security Policy
Appendix D: Notes on EMR
Appendix E: Export Restrictions on Encryption
Appendix F: Further Resources
Appendix G: Glossary
Appendix H: How Public Key Encryption Works
Appendix I: Introduction to LANs
Appendix J: Securing Safe Software
Appendix K: Appraising Microsoft AV

Cobb's Guide to PC & LAN Security Table of Contents with Links to Author Notes

Cobb's Guide to PC & LAN Security
Table of Contents with Links to Author Notes