A book on computer security can often be boring. For the most part, the ones that I've come across for new and intermediate-level users start from the wrong premise - that one can't disturb the reader as far as choices go. This makes the reader feel warm and fuzzy about his choices. It doesn't do much to improve the security environment when he or she is online.

Thomas C. Greene's book is worth reading for many reasons and for me the foremost one would be because it does not follow this formula. He makes it plain that change has to be accepted if one is to improve the security environment - and then proceeds to provide his choices, all the time explaining the rationale behind them.

By Sam Varghese at The Age.

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