Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses

Fueled by reports of ever more virulent computer viruses, public concern about the vulnerability of computer systems has grown rapidly in recent years. But how bad is the virus problem today? How bad could it become? If you are bewildered by the conflicting reports you read, then Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses is a book you must read!

Written by a leading figure in the virus research community, Robert Slade's guide is the most comprehensive book on computer viruses today — covering everything from the basics to detailed information on the most virulent and the newest viruses known. It will provide you with the knowledge on what computer viruses are, how they work, how to handle them, and to what extent should you worry about them. As a computer user, you will learn valuable guidelines on how to minimize the risk of infection and how to salvage your data.

This book contains 5 antiviral software programs and includes a complete review of the major antiviral software available. It also recommends sources where you can access the latest information, including electronic bulletin boards and news groups. This comprehensive book will provide all the information you need to make knowledgeable decisions to protect your system, regardless of the platform you are using.

• Explains what viruses are, how they work and what they can do
• Helps you separate computer virus myths from reality
• Covers advanced topics such as infection paths, common carriers and stealth viruses
• Details well-known viruses and virus protection products
• Follows a step-by-step approach to dealing with virus attacks
• Shows you how to identify and eradicate viral infections
• Includes a diskette with 5 antiviral software programs
• Identifies contacts, antiviral software vendors and sources of other information
• Provides a glossary of terms used in antiviral research

1. Introduction: Definitions, Jargon, and Myths
• What and What Not
• Related Programs
• Special Terms
• Viral Myths
2. Beginner's Panic Guide to Viral Programs
• Don't Panic
• Power
• Backups
• Getting Started
• Assume You're Wrong
• Scanners
• Other Antivirals
• Local Reports
• Weird Behavior
• Cleanup
3. History and Examples of Viral Programs
• Early History
• Viral Examples
4. Computer Operations and Viral Operations
• Boot Sector Infectors
• File Infectors
• The Viral Use of Computer Operations and Functions
5. Antiviral-Protection Checklist
• Antiviral Checklist
6. Antiviral Software and Evaluation
• Standards and Measures
• User Reaction and Interface
• Types of Antivirals
• Other Considerations
• LAN Security
7. The Virus and Society
• The Virus Community: Two Solitudes
• Trust
• Scope
• Future Trends

1. Frequently Asked Questions
2. Quick Reference Antiviral Review Chart
3. Reviews of Antiviral Products
• Introduction to the Antiviral Reviews
• Activity Monitors
• Antivirus Plus (Techmar)
• InocuLAN (Cheyenne)
• IRIS Antivirus (Fink)
• Mace Vaccine (Paul Mace)
• Change Detectors
• Control Room (Borland)
• DISKSECURE (Padgett Peterson)
• Integrity Master (Stiller Research)
• PC-cillin (Trend Micro)
• SafeWord Virus-Safe (Enigma Logic)
• Untouchable (Fifth Generation)
• Vaccine/SweeplD-Fence (Sophos)
• VDS (VDS Advanced Research Group)
• Victor Charlie (Bangkok Security Associates)
• Scanners
• Antiviral Toolkit Pro (KAMI)
• Eliminator (International Computer Virus Institute)
• F-PROT (Frisk)
• F-PROT Professional (Command/Data Fellows)
• IBM Antivirus (IBM)
• LANProtect (Intel)
• VirAway (Techmar)
• Virucide Plus (Parsons)
• Vi-Spy (RG)
• Multilayered Software
• Central Point Anti-Virus (Central Point)
• Certus LAN (CertuS/Symantec)
• Data Physician Plus! (Digital Dispatch)
• Dr. Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit (S&S International)
• F-PROT I.xx (Frisk)
• Norton AntiVirus (Symantec/Norton)
• SCAN suite (McAfee Associates)
• Thunderbyte Utilities (Thunderbyte)
• Vaccine (Davidsohn)
• VET (Cybec)
• Virex for the PC (Datawatch)
• ViruSafe (EliaShim)
• Virus Buster (Leprechaun)
• General Security Software
• Advanced Security (Advanced Gravis)
• Data Security Plus (PC Guardian)
• FREEZE!! (Command)
• Network Security Organizer (Leprechaun)
• PCIDACS (Mergent)
• PC-Vault (Johnson)
• SAFE (Micronyx)
• Security Guardian (Command)
• Watchdog (Fischer)
• Miscellaneous
• HyperACCESS (Hilgraeve)
• Immunizer (Western Digital)
• Watchdog (Fischer)
• Atari
• Chasseur II (Vidovic)
• FLIST and FCHECK (Lindberg)
• Protect6 (Osterud)
• Sagrotan (AIt)
• VIRUSDIE
• VKILLER (Woodside)
• Amiga
• BootX (Stuer)
4. Antiviral Vendors and Contacts Listing
5. Antiviral Bookshelf
• Virus
• Computer Viruses and Data Protection, Ralph Burger
• A Short Course on Computer Viruses, Fred Cohen
• Computers under Attack: Intruders, Worms and Viruses, Peter J. Denning, ed.
• A Pathology of Computer Viruses, David Ferbrache
• The Computer Virus Desk Reference, Chris Feudo
• The Computer Virus Crisis, 2nd ed., Fites, Johnston, and Kratz
• Computer Virus Handbook, Harold Joseph Highland
• Rid Me of This Virus, Bruce Hodge
• Rogue Programs: Viruses, Worms, and Trojan Horses, Lance J. Hoffman, ed.
• Computer Viruses and Anti-Virus Warfare, Jan Hruska
• The PC Virus Control Handbook, Robert Jacobson
• PC Security and Virus Protection Handbook, Pam Kane
• The Computer Virus Handbook, Richard Levin
• The Little Black Book of Computer Viruses, Mark Ludwig
• Naissance d'un Virus, Mark Ludwig (translated by Jean Bernard Condat)
• Virus!: The Secret World of Computer Invaders That Breed and Destroy, Allen Lundell
• Computer Viruses, Worms, Data Diddlers, Killer Programs, and Other Threats to Your System: What They Are, How They Work, and How to Defend Your PC, Mac or Mainframe, John McAfee and Colin Hayes
• Inside the Norton Antivirus, Norton/Nielsen
• Dr. Solomon's Virus Encyclopedia, Alan Solomon
• PC Viruses: Detection, Analysis, and Cure, Alan Solomon
• Survivor's Guide to Computer Viruses
• Related
• It's Alive!, Fred Cohen
• The New Hacker's Dictionary, Eric Raymond
• Syslaw, 2nd ed., Lance Rose and Jonathan Wallace
• Computer Security Basics, Deborah Russell and G. T. Gangemi Sr.
• Digital Woes, Lauren Wiener
• Fiction
• Shockwave Rider, John Brunner
• When H.A.R.L.I.E. Was One, David Gerrold
• Kill-o-byte, Piers Anthony
• The Adolescence of P-1, Thomas J. Ryan
• Terminal Compromise, Winn Schwartau
• Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
6. Antiviral BBS Listing
7. Glossary
8. Antiviral Checklist
9. Antiviral Files on Accompanying Disk
• UNZIP.EXE (MS-DOS)
• FP-211.ZIP (MS-DOS)
• FSP_184.ZIP (MS-DOS)
• DISINFEC.HQX (MAC)
• DS242.ZIP (MS-DOS)
• CM221.ZIP (MS-DOS)

Doesn't contain anything of any value. The funny thing is that Robert Slade even has written a second edition of this book (can't understand why). The even more funny thing is that Robert Slade also reviews security books on the 'Net. Needless to say, we disagree totally in our opinions of books.