>From *Internet Security*
International Research Journal on Security
Safety and Protection of Datacommunications
on the Internet
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New book release
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For all of you interested in new book releases
of relevance and importance to the subscribers
of this list.
Title: Network Security,
Private Communication in a Public World
Authors: Charlie Kaufman, Radia Perlman, Mike Speciner
Released: April 1995
Cover: Hardcover
Available: now
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Series: Computer Networking and Distributed Systems
ISBN: 0-13-061466-1
Pages: 504 (exact)
Chapters: 17/biblio/glossary/index
Parts: 3
Cryptography - Authentication - Electronic Mail
Price: $ 46
The introduction chapter deals with issues as Primer on Networking,
Tempest, Firewalls/Security Gateways, Key Escrow, Viruses, Worms.
Trojans, the Military model of security, and some legal issues.
The Firewalls/Security Gateways chapter deals with packet filters,
encrypted tunnels, and goes into application level gateway.
A sizeable chunk of the book is devoted to cryptography with sub-
chapters on breaking, secret key crypto, public key crypto and
hash algorithms. A good overview of DES with some new ways of
approaching double encryption and triple encryption with thesame and
with different keys. Hashes and message digests are covered with
subs on MD2/MD4 and MD5, and some notes on SHS Padding.
The public key algorithms are described in chapter 5. RSA, DH, DSS
fly by - (a bit too fast for such important topics, but that's a
matter of taste). Surprisingly this book is one of the few that
stores correctly Zero Knowledge Proof Systems under Public Key
Algorithms. A chapter on Number Theory finalizes the first part.
The authentication part starts with Systems, logically deals with
Authentication of People, and describes Security Handshake Pitfalls.
Kerberos V4 and V5 are discussed in depth. Good chapters are Evading
Password Guessing Attacks and Double TGT Authentication, among the many.
Electronic Mail Security is covered extensively. PEM (Privacy Enhanced
Mail) and PGP are placed well on the map, though the latter deserves
more technical description. A chapter on X400 and the security functions
possible is a nice touch. A comparison of PEM, PGP and X400 is
offered that is useful for those in doubt. A leftover chapter features
NetWare, KryptoKnight, SNMP, DASS/SPX, Lotus Notes, DCE and Microsoft
LAN manager. Some thoughts about the Clipper chip conclude the chapter.
Critique: Words as canonicalization (in relation to PEM) are not in my
version of Webster, and might appear somewhat off track for the serious
reader. The Firewalls chapter should in a next edition be more up to
date.
Overall evaluation: A good book, modestly priced, a lot of information
for the dollar. Not for the casual reader, really. But if one feels
comfortable with the issues, one appreciates the authors'
efforts to put it all to paper. If you're in network security, you'll
likely want to have it in your room, instead of in the library.
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Bertil Fortrie
*Internet Security*
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| Monthly International Research Journal on
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