Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons: A Step-by-Step Guide to Computer Security and Privacy for Non-Techies, Fourth Edition
- 6h 41m
- Carey Parker
- Apress
- 2020
Rely on this practical, end-to-end guide on cyber safety and privacy written expressly for a non-technical audience. You will have just what you need to protect yourself―step by step, without judgment, and with as little jargon as possible. Just how secure is your computer right now? You probably don't know. Computers and the Internet have revolutionized the modern world, but if you are like most people, you have no clue how these things work and don't know the real threats.
Protecting your computer is like defending a medieval castle. While moats, walls, drawbridges, and castle guards can be effective, you would go broke trying to build something dragon-proof. This book is not about protecting yourself from a targeted attack by the NSA; it is about arming yourself against common hackers and mass surveillance. There are dozens of no-brainer things we all should be doing to protect our computers and safeguard our data―just like wearing a seat belt, installing smoke alarms, and putting on sunscreen.
About the Author
Carey Parker, CIPM was born and raised in Indiana, an only child who loved to tear apart his electronic toys and reassemble them in interesting ways. He began programming computers in middle school when personal computers were just starting to become popular. For years, these twin interests percolated until he attended Purdue University and learned that you could get paid to do this stuff―it was called electrical engineering! After obtaining both bachelor and master degrees in electrical engineering, Carey launched his career in telecommunications software development at Bell Northern Research (aka the "Big Nerd Ranch"). Over the next 20 years, he wrote software for multiple companies, large and small, and lived in various cities across the southern United States. In recent years, particularly after the Edward Snowden revelations in 2013, Carey became deeply concerned about computer security and privacy. In 2014, he began combining his passion for computers, cybersecurity, and fantasy novels with his long-time desire to write a book, and the result is Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons. This eventually launched a blog, newsletter, and weekly podcast of the same name.
In this Book
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Before We Begin
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Cybersecurity 101
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The Three Ups: Back Up, Clean Up, and Update
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Passwords
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Computer Security
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LAN Sweet LAN
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Practice Safe Surfing
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Secure Communication
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Online Accounts and Social Media
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Parental Guidance
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Don't Be a Smartphone Dummy
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Odds and Ends
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Parting Thoughts
