Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons

Paperback, 440 pages

English language

Published Sept. 12, 2020 by Apress.

ISBN:: 978-1-4842-6188-0

(1 review)

Rely on this practical, end-to-end guide on cyber safety and privacy written expressly for a non-technical audience. You will have just what you need to protect yourself―step by step, without judgment, and with as little jargon as possible. Just how secure is your computer right now? You probably don't know. Computers and the Internet have revolutionized the modern world, but if you are like most people, you have no clue how these things work and don't know the real threats.

Protecting your computer is like defending a medieval castle. While moats, walls, drawbridges, and castle guards can be effective, you would go broke trying to build something dragon-proof. This book is not about protecting yourself from a targeted attack by the NSA; it is about arming yourself against common hackers and mass surveillance. There are dozens of no-brainer things we all should be doing to protect our computers and safeguard …

Rely on this practical, end-to-end guide on cyber safety and privacy written expressly for a non-technical audience. You will have just what you need to protect yourself―step by step, without judgment, and with as little jargon as possible. Just how secure is your computer right now? You probably don't know. Computers and the Internet have revolutionized the modern world, but if you are like most people, you have no clue how these things work and don't know the real threats.

Protecting your computer is like defending a medieval castle. While moats, walls, drawbridges, and castle guards can be effective, you would go broke trying to build something dragon-proof. This book is not about protecting yourself from a targeted attack by the NSA; it is about arming yourself against common hackers and mass surveillance. There are dozens of no-brainer things we all should be doing to protect our computers and safeguard our data―just like wearing a seat belt, installing smoke alarms, and putting on sunscreen.

Author Carey Parker has structured this book to give you maximum benefit with minimum effort. If you just want to know what to do, every chapter has a complete checklist with step-by-step instructions and pictures. This revised and expanded fourth edition contains more than 170 tips to make you and your family safer. It includes:

Updates for Windows 10 (May 2020) and Mac OS 10.15 (Catalina) Updates for iOS 13 and Android 10 Updated recommendations on the best apps, products, and services More than 170 tips with complete step-by-step instructions and pictures A preview of Mac OS 11 Big Sur and iOS 14 You will:

Create killer passwords that you do not have to remember Browse the web safely and with confidence Protect your data and reclaim your privacy Shop and bank online with maximum security Defend against identity theft Protect yourself from viruses and scams Maximize your smartphone security and privacy Safeguard your children online Block online tracking and dangerous ads Send files and messages securely and privately Set up secure home networking Keep your smart devices from spying on you Stop oversharing on social media Create automated backups of all your devices Learn how the Internet actually works And more!

1 edition

Henry reviewed Firewalls Don't Stop Dragons by Carey Parker

Amazing Book, for the Right Audience!

4 stars

Context: I consider myself on the advanced side of the privacy/security world. The goal of this review isn't to sound elitist, but rather to paint an accurate depiction of this book and who it's for.

For someone like myself, this book didn't provide a huge amount of value. There were occasional moments where Parker's input would make me consider different perspectives on privacy that I've never held - such as how individual privacy can directly & indirectly improve the privacy of others. But generally speaking, almost every piece of advice shared in this book I already accomplished on my own journey.

But that doesn't mean this book isn't massively important. This is the information the world needs to hear: How and why to use password managers, what browsers are and how to choose a private one, search engines, phones, 2FA, etc. Parker is able to expertly take advanced topics and …

Context: I consider myself on the advanced side of the privacy/security world. The goal of this review isn't to sound elitist, but rather to paint an accurate depiction of this book and who it's for.

For someone like myself, this book didn't provide a huge amount of value. There were occasional moments where Parker's input would make me consider different perspectives on privacy that I've never held - such as how individual privacy can directly & indirectly improve the privacy of others. But generally speaking, almost every piece of advice shared in this book I already accomplished on my own journey.

But that doesn't mean this book isn't massively important. This is the information the world needs to hear: How and why to use password managers, what browsers are and how to choose a private one, search engines, phones, 2FA, etc. Parker is able to expertly take advanced topics and boil it down to the bare minimum for what non-techies need to understand.

This is a book I could hand out to strangers in public with full confidence that most people could read it, understand it, and implement a wide portion of its advice. Bringing privacy & security education to the masses requires accessible books like these, and this will be my new top pick for all people looking for a book to get started on their journey.

My only criticism with the book is I personally don't agree with all recommendations/advice, but much of this is attributed to the rapidly-changing digital landscape, and I'm sure a majority of my issues would be resolved with a new edition in 2022. Even then, recommendations are largely personal preference, and Parker almost always leaves disclaimers and valid reasons for why he recommends each tool, even if there are some acknowledged sacrifices. Overall, super nitpicky criticism and doesn't discount the excellent progress every person would make if they followed everything to a T. Great book, and very grateful Parker wrote it for the community!