This book is written so that beginners can get an understanding of what hacking is about and how to protect against it. The examples are thorough and provide step-by-step screen shots as to what happens during a certain exploit.

The book details how attackers gain access into different type of operating systems and hardware platforms. More importantly, Cole describes countermeasures to use to defend against the various types of attacks and exploits he describes. Overall, this is an excellent reference for anyone needing to understand how hacking works and how to defend against it.

Hackers Beware is a good reference for individuals who are new to the information security field or managers who need to have some understanding of information security. It discusses in basic terms the general issues that affect network security. Technical issues are discussed in a manner that allows non-technical individuals to understand the severity of the vulnerabilities, attacks and exploits

The most useful section in the book concerns the Internet. This chapter on the SANS Top 10 Exploits is excellent, as it describes what exploits must be fixed for any organisation that is connected to the Internet.

This is an excellent book for any potential reader who is looking for a text that gives an overall viewpoint of hacking, hacking techniques and defending against hacks.