Security Books

Stealing Your Life: The Ultimate Identity Theft Prevention Plan

Frank W. Abagnale

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Broadway Amazon Marketplace: 53 new & used starting at $7.16

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Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Personal Finance -> General AAS
Subjects -> Computers & Internet -> Business & Culture -> Culture

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The charismatic forger immortalized in the film Catch Me If You Can exposes the astonishing tactics of today’s identity theft criminals and offers powerful strategies to thwart them based on his second career as an acclaimed fraud-fighting consultant.
Consider these sobering facts:

        *Six out of ten American companies and government agencies have already been hacked.

        *An estimated 80 percent of birth certificate requests are fulfilled through the mail for people using only a name and a return address. So I could take your name and use my address, and get your birth certificate. From there I’m off to the races.

        *Americans write 39 billion checks a year, and half of these folks never reconcile their bank statements.

        *A Social Security number costs $49 on the black market. A driver’s license goes for $90. A birth certificate will set you back $79.


When Frank Abagnale trains law enforcement officers around the country about identity theft, he asks officers for their names and addresses and nothing more. In a matter of hours he can obtain everything he would need to steal their lives: Social Security numbers, dates of birth, current salaries, checking account numbers, the names of everyone in their families, and more. This illustrates how easy it is for anyone from anywhere in the world to assume our identities and in a matter of hours devastate our lives in ways that can take years to recover from. Considering that a fresh victim is hit every four seconds, Stealing Your Life is the reference everyone needs by an unsurpassed authority on the latest identity theft schemes.

Abagnale offers dozens of concrete steps to transform anyone from an easy mark into a hard case that criminals are likely to bypass:

• Don’t allow your kids to use the computer on which you do online banking and store financial records (children are apt to download games and attachments that host damaging viruses or attract spyware).

• Beware of offers that appeal to greed or fear in exchange for personal data.

• Monitor your credit report regularly and know if anyone’s been “knocking on your door.”

• Read privacy statements carefully and choose to opt out of sharing information whenever possible.


Brimming with anecdotes of creative criminality that are as entertaining as they are enlightening, Stealing Your Life is the practical way to shield yourself from one of today’s most nefarious and common crimes.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Home Security

Tom Davidson, Lorna Gentry

List Price: $16.95 By: Alpha Amazon Marketplace: 33 new & used starting at $1.88

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> How-to & Home Improvements -> Do-It-Yourself

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Book really is on risk assessment, NOT on alarm systems 2 out of 5 stars.
37 of 40 people found this review helpful.

I tried consulting this book to design and install a security system for small business. I was surprised to see so few books on the subject in Amazon and in the public library. More than half the book goes into the risk assessment and no cost loss prevention. Fine...but the cover claims that the reader can design a security system and install camera surveillance.

The first author may be a wise policeman and attorney, but a systems designer for a home / small business security system he is not. The co-author is just a writer, has very little experience in the security field and has obviously not designed, installed, and armed a security system herself. There is a lot of common-sense discussion and fluff on alarm components in the book.

But when the rubber hits the road, this book runs out of gas. The DIY section of the book is Chap 17 and covers 21 measly pages. There is no typical bill-of-materials, budgetary costs, or national or regional sources and part numbers for popular items. Where is the beef?

Honeywell is a national provider of security components and systems; the authors don't discuss the security industry suppliers, not even Radio Shack. I'd recommend going to an on-line catalog that the Pros use at ADILink dot com. It doesn't even go into the popular X-10 components for home automation; except in the last paragraph in Appendix B.

The overall organization of the book with tips and sidebars are very distracting. Overall this is a disappointing book that I read at the public library.

Editorial Review:

In today's world of gated communities, security is more sought after than ever. Most new home owners think about installing a home security system shortly after moving in, but are confused by the maze of choices available. This guide tells you all you need to know about keeping your home and family safe. The author, a former FBI agent and security expert, gives you the skinny on everything from basic systems to inexpensive measures you can install yourself. He also tells parents what's legal and what's not in the area of nanny-cams and monitoring.

Street Smarts, Firearms, And Personal Security : Jim Grover's Guide To Staying Alive And Avoiding Crime In The Real World

Jim Grover

Amazon Price: $23.10 List Price: $35.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Paladin Press Amazon Marketplace: 14 new & used starting at $21.94

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Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Jim Grover's professional credentials in the art of crime avoidance and self-defense are as good as it gets: on-site security specialist in the world's hottest of hot spots, combatives instructor to ultrahigh-speed military and police units and hands-on security trainer to international corporations, among other sensitive assignments. Here is a compilation of the best of his wildly popular "Personal Security" columns in Guns & Ammo magazine. It covers the entire spectrum of personal security issues, with street-savvy ideas and twists you will find nowhere else. Learn how to vastly improve the physical security of your home; develop alert street smarts; stay safe while traveling in your vehicle, out of town or abroad; recognize and avoid crimes of the new millennium; keep your children safe; choose and use effective nonlethal weapons; engage in nasty unarmed combat; and utilize radically practical shooting skills that have been perfected in real-life situations. From spotting trouble before it happens to surviving a riot to handling a firearm like a pro, this book has it all!

Surveillance Detection, The Art of Prevention

Laura Clark, William E. Algaier

Amazon Price: $17.55 List Price: $19.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Cradle Press LLC Amazon Marketplace: 18 new & used starting at $17.37

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

As much as we would all like to believe that our government and law enforcement agencies can protect us from crime and terrorism, our safety is not completely assured. Certainly we cannot take the law into our own hands, but we can use legal preventative measures to protect ourselves, our families, our businesses, and our assets. Surveillance detection (SD) is a technique that has been around for a long time and is now being revitalized and implemented worldwide for the war against terror. Our book explores the ways in which people from all walks of life can use SD as a viable preventative measure for the threats against them. Regardless if you are a housewife who is a victim of domestic violence or a contractor riding in a convoy in Iraq, this book will help you learn to protect yourself. If you are a corporation that has become a symbolic target for terrorists or an industrial facility with hazardous materials, this book will show you how to use surveillance detection to protect your property and personnel. The majority of criminals and terrorists intent on carrying out any type of crime or attack have an Achilles heel that we can exploit; they (or someone associated with them) must go out and conduct surveillance on their target in order to develop a successful plan of attack. Using surveillance detection allows us to intercept them at this early stage in order to prevent the crime or attack. We believe that the more widespread the use of surveillance detection becomes, the safer our world will be.

Understanding & Servicing Alarm Systems (Newnes)

H. William Trimmer

Amazon Price: $73.95 List Price: $73.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Butterworth-Heinemann Amazon Marketplace: 15 new & used starting at $46.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 2.0 of 5

VERY DISAPOINTED! 2 out of 5 stars.
27 of 30 people found this review helpful.

Maybe my expectations were too high. The fact is that this book offers you very little unless you really have no clue about how electricity works. The book is also poorly organized. I really couldn't figure out a logical sequence. The book also seems to be very dated. There is virtually no mention of electronic security panels and common programming tasks. In my opinion, it's a book to avoid.

Editorial Review:

Understanding and Servicing Alarm Systems, Third Edition has seen the alarm industry enter the computer age. With its coverage of microcomputerized controls, sophisticated detection devices, methods of alarm reporting, that second edition broke new ground. Now completely updated to reflect the security industry's most high-tech advances, the third edition of Understanding and Servicing Alarm Systems, continues on the road of educating the alarm dealer, installer, and technician.

Prepares readers for the practicalities of dealing with customers
Takes readers from the basics of electricity to the most modern equipment installation and repair
Teaches the pitfalls one might encounter in the alarm servicing profession, along with the approaches for troubleshooting.

Building Construction for the Fire Service

Francis L. Brannigan

List Price: $79.95 By: Delmar Thomson Learning Amazon Marketplace: 36 new & used starting at $6.90

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

THE book for the Fire Service. 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 6 people found this review helpful.

This should be required reading for anyone in the fire service who deals with Structural fire fighting. The book is pretty straight forward and in an easy to read font. I love this book. It also has a pretty decent index if you're using it for school. Out of all the books I've had to buy for school so far, this is the best one. If you're a fan of Brunacini, you may find a few points where they disagree, thus creating the great debate between which author is right. The principles of this book are easily put to use in day to day firefighting and could possibly save your life.

Editorial Review:

Protect against the life-threatening dangers of building collapse!

Extensively updated, revised, and expanded, this 3rd edition text shows you how to recognize the signs of building collapse before it happens--so you can get out while there's still time. You'll be informed about critical topics such as:

The toxic combustion products of vermin- and moisture-resistant treated wood

The outcome of multi-million-dollar lawsuits involving some fire-retardant treated plywood

The total collapse hazard to post-tensioned concrete buildings under construction

The dynamics of the "stack effect"... and more!

Photographs and illustrations help you visualize key concepts, so you can spot dangers on the job.

Chemical Warfare Agents: Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, Second Edition

Amazon Price: $127.96 List Price: $159.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Informa Healthcare Amazon Marketplace: 25 new & used starting at $96.00

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Subjects -> Medicine -> Pharmacology -> Toxicology
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Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The first edition of this book, Chemical Warfare Agents: Toxicity at Low Levels, was published just prior to the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. Reflecting a greater sense of urgency within the field of chemical defense since this event, research related to chemical warfare agents (CWAs) continues to expand at a remarkable pace.

Chemical Warfare Agents: Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics, Second Edition explores the latest methods and products for preventing, diagnosing, and treating the acute and chronic effects of toxic CWA exposure. This edition citesthe key developments in chemical defense research since 2001, including new epidemiological or clinical studies of exposed or potentially exposed populations; new treatment concepts and products; improved organization of the national response apparatus in the U.S. addressing the potential for CWA terrorism; and improved diagnostic tests that enable rapid diagnosis and treatment.

Leading researchers explain how these breakthroughs help researchers determine physiologically relevant detection thresholds and develop more effective countermeasures and national response procedures. Chemical Warfare Agents provides first responders and emergency medical teams with the most up-to-date information they need to prepare for and handle natural disasters, chemical spills, terrorism, and warfare situations—quickly and effectively.

Lloyd's MIU Handbook of Maritime Security

Amazon Price: $78.00 List Price: $89.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Auerbach Publications Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $65.98

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Editorial Review:

The safety of ports, ships, cargo, and their personnel is of major importance to all nations. There is, however, little guidance to ensure their safety other than the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS). Using the ISPS as a foundation, Lloyd’s MIU Handbook of Maritime Security provides maritime managers with the best practices on risk assessments, security measures, security organization, personnel identification, ship safety, and ship security alert systems. This volume addresses safety concerns that pertain to all ship situations, locations, and facilities.

Emergency Characterization of Unknown Materials

Rick Houghton

Amazon Price: $89.95 List Price: $89.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: CRC Amazon Marketplace: 17 new & used starting at $65.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A chemistry guide for us "average" responders. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Emergency Characterization of Unknown Materials, Rick Houghton, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2008, ISBN: 978-0849379680
Review by Paul R. Laska
First, for full disclosure, I am the same Paul R. Laska whose comments appear in advertising blurbs for this book. During his research, Rick Houghton requested I review material dealing with explosives characterization; based upon that introduction, I recognized the value of his work.
Having had the opportunity to read the entire book, my only negative comment is that I wish I had had it much earlier. My science background is as weak as most with a degree in social science; then I entered a field of law enforcement where chemistry is an important aspect. I did attend a field offering of the NFA Haz-Mat Chemistry program. It was a well presented class, and I learned a great deal of organic chemistry, but over the years it faded. The first chapter of Houghton's book, Terms and Definitions, is a wonderful introduction to hazardous materials chemistry...not just organic, but also inorganic. It also covers biological, and importantly to me, radiologicals.
The middle chapter of the book deals with detection technologies. These range from simple "chemistry set" procedures to the variety of field useable and lab based advanced electronic technology that is available today. The final chapter looks at the application of these various technologies to the characterization of an unknown material.
Houghton approaches the material with the understanding that the audience is basically science ignorant. Without talking down, he educates them in the area of hazardous materials chemistry, using simple approaches to explain the whats and whys of the subject. Through wonderful sketches by his son he introduces humor, which he further follows up with his "Commandments of Thy Characterization Strategy."
The photographs in the book are produced in black and white, which Houghton admits are not illustrative of the effects one should be observing. To overcome this, he includes a web link to his site, where the original, color photos are available for review.
Emergency Characterization of Unknown Materials is a well written book for the average firefighter, haz-mat responder, law enforcement clandestine lab/bomb tech/environmental investigator, or anyone else whose assignment includes exposure to unknown chemical materials. It will greatly improve the reader's comprehension of haz-mat chemistry and walk the reader through the technologies and their application in the real world. It has application beyond the field, to the training and educational setting, where it could well serve as a text for basic hazardous materials chemistry classes.

Editorial Review:

Written for emergency workers and others responsible for the safe response to and management of unknown hazardous materials, Emergency Characterization of Unknown Materials providesreadily applicable strategies for implementing a fluid concept of risk analysis based on hazard characterization in emergency situations where definitive identification of the material may be impractical or impossible. Using a hands-on approach, the author discusses strategies to identify threats and vulnerabilities, ascertain exposure, and reduce or eliminate impact. He looks at types of hazards presented by chemical compounds and mixtures, radiation sources, weapons of mass destruction, illegal drugs, explosive substances, biological hazards, and other material and discusses the merits of approximately 63 portable detection technologies.

Pandemic Influenza: Emergency Planning and Community Preparedness

Amazon Price: $55.96 List Price: $69.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: CRC Amazon Marketplace: 25 new & used starting at $51.74

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Editorial Review:

“... an amazing resource ... Dr. Ryan has assembled some of the best experts in the field to guide you in understanding the threat of pandemic influenza and how it can affect you and the people you are responsible for. ...”

From the foreword by Lynn A. Slepski,

Captain, United States Public Health Service

No one is immune to the potential devastation of a mass pandemic influenza outbreak. Yet despite recent small-scale outbreaks and dire warnings from the World Health Organization that such an event is imminent and overdue, our preparedness continues to lag. Part of the problem is that while a national plan is important, all the real action must occur at the local level. Triage, care, and containment, along with maintenance of the infrastructure, are functions that must be carried out by local planners and responders.

Pandemic Influenza: Emergency Planning and Community Preparedness introduces readers to the critical global and domestic issues regarding a potential pandemic. Featuring the contributions of leading experts, this volume arms planners and responders with an understanding of outbreak containment and response planning and provides an analysis of our present capabilities and potential weaknesses.

The first section reviews the history of pandemics and discusses the deadly 1918 Spanish flu. The middle chapters examine the biology of the virus and the clinical aspects of influenza, with special attention given to Avian Influenza. The final chapters examine international and federal programs and discuss response at the local level, including service continuation planning and fatality management.

Public health and emergency preparedness professionals, as well as policy makers at all levels will find a wealth of information to help them create a plan and allocate the proper resources to mitigate the devastation of a pandemic influenza.