Customer Rating:  
Summary: Content is good - writing style is horrendous
Comment: This book covers a wide range of security engineering related domains. In general, the content is good and the level of detail is high-level in order to cover the wide scope of topics.However, the writing style leaves much to be desired. The book is peppered with sentences starting a discussion on a topic and then abruptly ending it, referring to other chapters for more details, which quickly becomes very annoying to the reader. The style of writing is also dry as a mouthful of flower. In addition, the layout of the book will put most readers to sleep since there are few figures and diagrams to explain relationships and methodologies where needed. Hopefully the shortcomings will be fixed in the second edition.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Number one in its class.
Comment: I usually buy only network security books. However, I felt tempted by the high ratings and bought this book. Well, the more I read it the more I like it. Well written, comprehensive and up to date, it is a sort of rich jumping table for finding additional information about the issues it already covers. Part two and three, are wonderful complements for people interested in 'traditional computer security'. I believe that any security administrator should be familiar with the issues discussed in those parts.
I specially enjoyed the Multilevel Security and Multilateral Security chapters.
Full of references, the book is well worth to have a place between your 'special books'. I plan to use it as a reference in my next security courses (for graduate students).
Customer Rating:
Summary: Superb Security Book
Comment: This is a "must read" for anybody that deals with security issues, especially in the technical and computer fields.Ross Anderson's writing style lends itself to ready understanding and comprehension of the intricacies of security management. His "warts & all" examination of the various security-related technologies can give one insight to serious security implementations. The text is replete with observations, examples and suggestions.
Our only regret is that there would be more examples, but that would expand an already large text. Fortunately, Ross mostly eschews the detailed mathematics which can make some of the other security texts difficult for non-technical types. For those who desire that level of detail, plenty of references are given. For the rest of us, it is entirely readable. We highly recommend it................................
Customer Rating:
Summary: A good read?
Comment: Surprisingly, that's exactly what this book is, even for those who aren't in the field. Some good boy-toy stuff, not too complicated if you want to read it that way. It's also a brilliant and comprehensive introduction to the subject, a higher-level course included, and a good reference too - buy it, don't borrow it, it's worth keeping around.
The descriptions of the techniques used to break security precautions - TV smart cards, banknotes, ATM's, cloning phones etc etc are enthralling, and you can see that he had a great time doing it - though it's not a how-to, more a description of the mistakes the designers of these systems have made.
There is a lot more, in fact almost everything, here. Web security, nuclear security, biometrics, tamper restance, emission security, telecom security, law, it's all here. It has the same place, completeness, and authority as Bruce Schneier's Applied Cryptography has in it's field, ie it is THE book if you're interested in the subject. And as I said, it's also a great read.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Comment: I firmly agree with the positive Amazon reviews by Chen, Oestreich, and Bjergstrom. Beyond that, I would add that the chapter on cryptography adds many things that Schneier's Applied Cryptography does not, like differential analysis and S box design -- and he explains them with wonderful clarity (some typographical hiccups notwithstanding).
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