Author: Mark Kadrich
Pages: 384
Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional
ISBN: 0321436954




Introduction

Endpoint security is currently one of the "hot topics" in the information security market. Often neglected, this vital part of your company network organization can very quickly turn into a nightmare. In this book, author Mark Kadrich tries to provide a comprehensive endpoint strategy that works.

About the author

Mr. Kadrich, CISSP, is president and CEO of The Security Consortium. Publications contributed to include TCP Unleashed, Publish Magazine, Planet IT, RSA, CSI, and The Black Hat Briefings.

Inside the book

The book opens with a chapter that deals with the basic information surrounding your computer network's perimeter where the reader can get refreshed with the important points related to different endpoints. The author briefly discusses the types of endpoints, but this is just an introductionary piece as later parts of the book cover them in details. What follows next is a rather interesting three-chapter section where Kadrich presents the security issues, gives his perspective on the missing link and finally proposes a solution through the way of central proportional control.

Throughout the book the author focuses on his point of using a closed loop process control and how the endpoints need to work with the network for the optimum state of complete security. There are quite important things to keep on mind when choosing endpoint security systems from different vendors, so Kadrich presents the key points of product evaluation.

The final part of the book hosts technical and practical information on different type of endpoints: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, PDAs, Smartphones as well as various embedded devices. Each of the chapters focuses on special points of interest, as well as specifics such as checking the current state of security, hardening and using invaluable third party applications.

Final thoughts

The author shares some good information on powering up the state of your endpoint security, but overall the book could have been organized much better than it is. On the other hand, I liked the way Kadrich covered endpoint topics in general while providing useful information on third party commercial and open source solutions. The case studies that close the book were a bit too short, but surely can act as a good material for showing the decision makers the importance of a good endpoint security strategy.

The book is focused on Kadrich's approach to endpoint security with a focus on using NAC technology, which will definitely turn some people off.