Always Use Protection: A Teen's Guide to Safe Computing (Paperback)

Appleman does go into a reasonable level of detail. More perhaps than a comparable Dummy's or Idiot's book. He believes that there is a certain modicum of detail you should know, and he does not dumb down a topic below that level. He's treating you like an adult.

Speaking of which, there are two other audiences for this book. One is parents. The other is teachers or librarians. There must be members of each group wondering if they need to catch up to their kids on this stuff. And casting around for a good text.

It was refreshing to find a book that tells the average computer user what they need to know to protect themselves when using a computer, both on and off the Internet...without making them feel stupid or forcing them to muck through tons and tons of details and complexity. I really appreciate the position that both technology and behavior are necessary to keep oneself safe when using a computer. Sure, the particulars will change over the years, but the lessons of personal responsibility and being necessarily cautious will endure.

This book covers all the major security threats faced today by average users. While targeted at teens, most anyone who uses a home computer, uses email regularly, or shops online will benefit from this book. It hits it all...wireless security, proper passwords, using a credit card instead of a check card when online, refusing 3rd party cookies... Chapter 5, the one on firewalls, does get long...but the author readily admits and warns the reader about that ahead of time.

At our university, we constantly fight the notion that, "the school has a firewall, so if my computer gets infected when using the school's network, it's your fault and the university should fix my computer." This book, and I'm so glad to see it covered starting on page 59, explains that when getting on a local network equipped with a firewall / router protecting you from outside attacks you are still vulnerable to attacks and infections from other local machines. It's your responsibility to install a software firewall and antivirus program to protect yourself from other students bringing infected systems in behind the firewall. I'd like to see that all incoming students read this book...either as part of their orientation or as part of their basic computing class.

Another issue we face at our university that's addressed in this book are the emails that pretend to be from someone else but are really from an infected third party. I routinely get calls from users wondering why they are getting virus warnings about messages they never sent or from others on our campus. This situation is explained (with pictures!) on page 25. I'm almost tempted to steal the picture and explanation to give to people when they call...instead I'm going to recommend this book to them!

Thanks for this timely book.

But....in the last few years something has changed. I now have 3 computers at home....all connected on a local network and permanently connected through a cable modem to the Internet. My computers are under constant attack by viruses and I had to re-install the O.S. several times...loosing a lot of valuable data in the process.

I bought the "Always Use Protection" book for my sons so they will learn to protect themselves from attack....and started to read it myself. I found it very easy to read and providing the right level of information. Although I am in the software business I did not know how viruses really operate and what weaknesses they use to cause damage.

The book is organized well. You first learn the essentials....i.e. having a firewall, installing antivirus and making sure you have the most recent security patches. Later the book moves to important but less essential topics like reducing SPAM, ad-ware, and protecting privacy.

It took me few hours to read the first essential chapters and then a weekend to re-install my computers' O.S. and upgrading them with the most recent patches. I feel now more protected and in control. I continued by reading the rest of the book and changed my web browser settings, my email tool setting, etc. to block ad-ware and SPAM....and there is a significant difference in the systems behavior.

I asked my sons to read the book too. This is important since some of the protection is coming from change of behavior. The book is explaining well what not to do if you want to protect your security and privacy

Overall...I find this book to be a great tool to learn and improve computer security.
Read and enjoy...