100 Best Cyber Security Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

Permanent Record

Edward Snowden

5.0

Edward Snowden, the man who risked everything to expose the US government’s system of mass surveillance, reveals for the first time the story of his life, including how he helped to build that system and what motivated him to try to bring it down.

In 2013, twenty-nine-year-old Edward Snowden shocked the world when he broke with the American intelligence establishment and revealed that the United St

Recommended by John Sargent and Kara Swisher.

John Sargent

CEO/Macmillan Publishers USA

Edward Snowden decided at the age of 29 to give up his entire future for the good of his country. He displayed enormous courage in doing so, and like him or not, his is an incredible American story. There is no doubt that the world is a better and more private place for his actions. Macmillan is enormously proud to publish Permanent Record. [source]

Kara Swisher

Btw @Snowden new book “Permanent Record” is quite good and surprisingly a love letter to the Internet as it was. [source]

2

Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World's First Digital Weapon

Kim Zetter

4.9

Top cybersecurity journalist Kim Zetter tells the story behind the virus that sabotaged Iran’s nuclear efforts and shows how its existence has ushered in a new age of warfare—one in which a digital attack can have the same destructive capability as a megaton bomb.

In January 2010, inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency noticed that centrifuges at an Iranian uranium enrichment plan

Recommended by Josephine Wolff.

Josephine Wolff

As a book, Countdown to Day Zero is a stunning example of a case study, of really diving into a cyber security incident. She takes on the very technical material—getting into the malware and the question of how do these SCADA machines work and how does this piece of software compromise them—but then also brings in this really rich and complicated geopolitical conflict that this is happening as a part of. [source]

3

The Cuckoo's Egg

Cliff Stoll

4.8

Before the Internet became widely known as a global tool for terrorists, one perceptive U.S. citizen recognized its ominous potential. Armed with clear evidence of computer espionage, he began a highly personal quest to expose a hidden network of spies that threatened national security. But would the authorities back him up? Cliff Stoll's dramatic firsthand account is "a computer-age detective sto

Recommended by James Stanley and Rick Klau.

James Stanley

"The Cuckoo's Egg" by Clifford Stoll is another great book. I believe it's the first documented account of a computer being misused by a remote attacker. It talks about how Clifford attached physical teleprinters to the incoming phone lines so that he could see what the attacker was actually doing on the computer, and how he traced the attacker across several countries. [source]

Rick Klau

@AtulAcharya @stevesi Same. Read it in college, realized I was more excited about the tech than what I was studying -- and Cliff did such a great job helping you understand what was going on. Such a great book. [source]

4

Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War

Fred Kaplan

4.7

“An important, disturbing, and gripping history” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), the never-before-told story of the computer scientists and the NSA, Pentagon, and White House policymakers who invent and employ cyber wars—where every country can be a major power player and every hacker a mass destroyer.

In June 1983, President Reagan watched the movie War Games, in which a teenager unwittingly hac

Recommended by Josephine Wolff.

Josephine Wolff

This book is by Fred Kaplan and it’s a historical study of the ways that governments—and in particular the US government—have tried to think about and use cyberpower for state-to-state conflict. He looks at what the origins of that were in the 1980s and how it has evolved over the past 30 or so years. [source]

5

Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker

Kevin Mitnick

4.7

If they were a hall of fame or shame for computer hackers, a Kevin Mitnick plaque would be mounted the near the entrance. While other nerds were fumbling with password possibilities, this adept break-artist was penetrating the digital secrets of Sun Microsystems, Digital Equipment Corporation, Nokia, Motorola, Pacific Bell, and other mammoth enterprises. His Ghost in the Wires memoir paints an act

Recommended by Antonio Eram, Nick Janetakis, and Richard Bejtlich.

Antonio Eram

This book was recommended by Antonio when asked for titles he would recommend to young people interested in his career path. [source]

Nick Janetakis

I'm going to start reading Ghost in the Wires by Kevin Mitnick this week. I used to go to 2600 meetings back when he was arrested for wire fraud and other hacking related shenanigans in the mid 1990s. I'm fascinated by things like social engineering and language in general. In the end, I just want to be entertained by his stories. For someone who is into computer programming, a book like this is pretty close to porn! [source]

Richard Bejtlich

In 2002 I reviewed Kevin Mitnick's first book, The Art of Deception. In 2005 I reviewed his second book, The Art of Intrusion. I gave both books four stars. Mitnick's newest book, however, with long-time co-author Bill Simon, is a cut above their previous collaborations and earns five stars. As far as I can tell (and I am no Mitnick expert, despite reading almost all previous texts mentioning him), this is the real deal. Mitnick addresses just about everything you might want to know about. For me, the factor that made the book very unique was the authors' attention to detail. This sounds like it might have been a point of contention between the co-authors, but I found the methodical explanation of the social engineering and technical attacks to be relevant and interesting. Mitnick just doesn't say he social engineered a target; rather, he walks you through every step of the event! It's amazing, audacious, and in many cases beyond the pale. … Ghost in the Wires also shares the human side of Mitnick's story. His description of solitary confinement and his anxiety of returning to those conditions seemed very real. They appear ever more relevant given recent treatment of Bradley Manning. One has to wonder about "cruel and unusual punishment" of those who are not convicted, such that they will sign plea deals just to avoid solitary confinement. Beyond prison issues, Mitnick's love for his family (especially his mother and grandmother) were clear throughout the book. I very much enjoyed reading Ghost in the Wires, and I believe the majority of the computer security community would too. [source]

6

Snow Crash

Neal Stephenson

4.7

In the near future, Americans excel at only two things: writing software and delivering pizza in less than 30 minutes.

Franchises line the Los Angeles freeway as far as the eye can see: Reverend Wayne's Pearly Gates, Mr. Lee's Greater Hong Kong, Uncle Enzo's CosaNostra Pizza, Incorporated. The only relief from the sea of logos is within the well-guarded borders of the autonomous city-states that la

Recommended by Larry Page, Reid Hoffman, Sergey Brin, and 9 others.

Sergey Brin

Co-Founder/Google

Brin said he is a big sci-fi fan, and Stephenson's acclaimed 1992 novel "Snow Crash" is one of his favorites. The book "was really 10 years ahead of its time," Brin said. "It kind of anticipated what's going to happen, and I find that really interesting." [source]

Adam Savage

It's a tough call because I prefer other books of this author. But this book is so important within the history of science fiction. [source]

Marvin Liao

Partner/500 Startups

My list would be (besides the ones I mentioned in answer to the previous question) both business & Fiction/Sci-Fi and ones I personally found helpful to myself. The business books explain just exactly how business, work & investing are in reality & how to think properly & differentiate yourself. On the non-business side, a mix of History & classic fiction to understand people, philosophy to make sense of life and Science fiction to picture what the future could be like (not always utopian). [source]

7

The Art of Invisibility: The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data

Kevin Mitnick

4.7

Kevin Mitnick, the world's most famous hacker, teaches you easy cloaking and counter-measures for citizens and consumers in the age of Big Brother and Big Data.

Like it or not, your every move is being watched and analyzed. Consumer's identities are being stolen, and a person's every step is being tracked and stored. What once might have been dismissed as paranoia is now a hard truth, and privacy i

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8

Comptia Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: Sy0-501 Study Guide

Darril Gibson

4.7

CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-401 Study Guide is an update to the top-selling SY0-301 guide, which helped thousands of readers pass the exam the first time they took it. The SY0-301 version covers every aspect of the SY0-301 exam, and includes the same elements readers raved about in the previous version.

Each of the eleven chapters presents topics in an easy to understand manner

9

Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin's Most Dangerous Hackers

Andy Greenberg

4.7

From Wired senior writer Andy Greenberg comes the true story of the desperate hunt to identify and track an elite team of Russian agents bent on digital sabotage

In 2014, the world witnessed the start of a mysterious series of cyberattacks. Targeting American utility companies, NATO, and electric grids in Eastern Europe, the strikes grew ever more brazen, including the first-ever blackouts triggere

Recommended by Ben Lorica, Jack Rhysider, and Laurence Tribe.

Ben Lorica

I am in the middle of Sandworm by @a_greenberg and it is great read. I have a feeling that recent events in the Middle East will result in cyberattacks similar to those in this book https://t.co/qLM5Z7YAdl [source]

Jack Rhysider

@selenalarson @a_greenberg wrote a great book [source]

Laurence Tribe

Vote augmentation looks like the newest form of election manipulation. It was a favorite Putin/GRU technique in Estonia, Georgia, and Ukraine. See Andy Greenberg’s book “Sandworm.” https://t.co/0i9NSdUvzs [source]

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10

Hacking: The Art of Exploitation

Jon Erickson

4.6

Hacking is the art of creative problem solving, whether that means finding an unconventional solution to a difficult problem or exploiting holes in sloppy programming. Many people call themselves hackers, but few have the strong technical foundation needed to really push the envelope.

Rather than merely showing how to run existing exploits, author Jon Erickson explains how arcane hacking techniques

11

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power

Shoshana Zuboff

4.6

Preview Summary

The challenges to humanity posed by the digital future, the first detailed examination of the unprecedented form of power called "surveillance capitalism," and the quest by powerful corporations to predict and control our behavior.

In this masterwork of original thinking and research, Shoshana Zuboff provides startling insights into the phenomenon that she has named surveillance capitalism. The sta

Recommended by Clive Lewis Mp, Dilip Cherian, John Tasioulas, and 3 others.

Clive Lewis Mp

Cant make the brilliant event below? Havent had a chance to read @shoshanazuboff groundbreaking book, ‘Surveillance Capitalism’? Then listen to this brilliant interview with the author as she explains the terrifying scale&ambition of Facebook/Google et al https://t.co/DCtNlFbmE0 https://t.co/ZX0YpW5pOo [source]

Dilip Cherian

Brave New World? Thanks @shoshanazuboff for that amazing book. It's compulsory reading for those trying to make sense of our world now. https://t.co/5nBJWoLS9p [source]

John Tasioulas

2019... Best book: Shoshana Zuboff, “The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power” Best political commentary: @HelenHet20 Best film @jokermovie Best restaurant: @farangLDN & @Trullo_LDN (London); Shinoki (Melbourne) [source]

12

The Phoenix Project: A Novel About IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win

Gene Kim

4.6

Preview Summary

Bill is an IT manager at Parts Unlimited. It's Tuesday morning and on his drive into the office, Bill gets a call from the CEO.

The company's new IT initiative, code named Phoenix Project, is critical to the future of Parts Unlimited, but the project is massively over budget and very late. The CEO wants Bill to report directly to him and fix the mess in ninety days or else Bill's entire department

Recommended by Jeffrey Snover and Louis Nyffenegger.

Jeffrey Snover

Great thread. I know of a number of devops people that haven't read this book. Ya'll should fix that. https://t.co/Yri4JJ0jBZ [source]

Louis Nyffenegger

I don't think I have a specific book that I can call my favourite. Some books have had a big impact on my view of how to build a product/company ("Rework"), some were very enjoyable to read ("The Phoenix Project"), some helped me improve the way I think ("The Pleasure Of Finding Things Out") and some the way I live ("Essentialism") or work ("Deep Work"). [source]

13

Kingpin: How One Hacker Took Over the Billion-Dollar Cybercrime Underground

Kevin Poulsen

4.6

The true story of Max Butler, the master hacker who ran a billion dollar cyber crime network.

The word spread through the hacking underground like some unstoppable new virus: an audacious crook had staged a hostile takeover of an online criminal network that siphoned billions of dollars from the US economy.

The culprit was a brilliant programmer with a hippie ethic and a supervillain's double identi

Recommended by Vinod Khosla and Vinod Khosla.

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14

Cyberwar: The Next Threat to National Security & What to Do About It

Richard A. Clarke, Robert Knake

4.5

Author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Against All Enemies, former presidential advisor and counter-terrorism expert Richard A. Clarke sounds a timely and chilling warning about America’s vulnerability in a terrifying new international conflict—Cyber War! Every concerned American should read this startling and explosive book that offers an insider’s view of White House ‘Situation Room’ operati

Recommended by Vinod Khosla, Vinod Khosla, and Joseph Nye.

Joseph Nye

This is intriguing, because when you look at the enormous opportunities that the Internet has presented – economic efficiency, great communication – we generally think of the positive side. But what Clarke and Knake point out is that as we open these opportunities we also make ourselves vulnerable to their disruption. For example, you have the capacity to do damage in the physical world just by sending electrons across a border. You can send instructions to an electrical generator via the Internet that will get the generator to shake itself apart and destroy itself. [source]

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15

Future Crimes: Everything Is Connected, Everyone Is Vulnerable, and What We Can Do About It

Marc Goodman

4.5

One of the world’s leading authorities on global security, Marc Goodman takes readers deep into the digital underground to expose the alarming ways criminals, corporations, and even countries are using new and emerging technologies against you—and how this makes everyone more vulnerable than ever imagined.

Technological advances have benefited our world in immeasurable ways, but there is an omino

16

Practical Malware Analysis: The Hands-On Guide to Dissecting Malicious Software

Michael Sikorski

4.5

Malware analysis is big business, and attacks can cost a company dearly. When malware breaches your defenses, you need to act quickly to cure current infections and prevent future ones from occurring.

For those who want to stay ahead of the latest malware, Practical Malware Analysis will teach you the tools and techniques used by professional analysts. With this book as your guide, you'll be able t

17

The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography

Simon Singh

4.5

In his first book since the bestselling Fermat's Enigma, Simon Singh offers the first sweeping history of encryption, tracing its evolution and revealing the dramatic effects codes have had on wars, nations, and individual lives. From Mary, Queen of Scots, trapped by her own code, to the Navajo Code Talkers who helped the Allies win World War II, to the incredible (and incredibly simple) logistica

Recommended by Stephen Kinsella.

Stephen Kinsella

@gavreilly @SLSingh Love that book [source]

18

Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions

Brian Christian and Griffiths

4.5

Preview Summary

A fascinating exploration of how insights from computer algorithms can be applied to our everyday lives, helping to solve common decision-making problems and illuminate the workings of the human mind

All our lives are constrained by limited space and time, limits that give rise to a particular set of problems. What should we do, or leave undone, in a day or a lifetime? How much messiness should we

Recommended by Doug McMillon, Chris Oliver, Emi Gal, and 2 others.

Doug McMillon

CEO/Walmart

Here are some of my favorite reads from 2017. Lots of friends and colleagues send me book suggestions and it's impossible to squeeze them all in. I continue to be super curious about how digital and tech are enabling people to transform our lives but I try to read a good mix of books that apply to a variety of areas and stretch my thinking more broadly. [source]

Chris Oliver

This is a great book talking about how you can use computer science to help you make decisions in life. How do you know when to make a decision on the perfect house? Car? etc? It helps you apply algorithms to making those decisions optimally without getting lost. [source]

Emi Gal

When asked what books he would recommend to young people interested in his career path, mentioned Algorithms to Live By. [source]

19

Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking

Hadnagy

4.5

Harden the human firewall against the most current threats

Social Engineering: The Science of Human Hacking reveals the craftier side of the hacker's repertoire--why hack into something when you could just ask for access? Undetectable by firewalls and antivirus software, social engineering relies on human fault to gain access to sensitive spaces; in this book, renowned expert Christopher Hadnagy ex

20

The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security

Kevin D. Mitnick

4.5

The world's most infamous hacker offers an insider's view of the low-tech threats to high-tech security
Kevin Mitnick's exploits as a cyber-desperado and fugitive form one of the most exhaustive FBI manhunts in history and have spawned dozens of articles, books, films, and documentaries. Since his release from federal prison, in 1998, Mitnick has turned his life around and established himself as o

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21

Spam Nation: The Inside Story of Organized Cybercrime-From Global Epidemic to Your Front Door

Brian Krebs

4.5

There is a Threat Lurking Online with the Power to Destroy Your Finances, Steal Your Personal Data, and Endanger Your Life.

In Spam Nation, investigative journalist and cybersecurity expert Brian Krebs unmasks the criminal masterminds driving some of the biggest spam and hacker operations targeting Americans and their bank accounts. Tracing the rise, fall, and alarming resurrection of the digital m

Recommended by Josephine Wolff.

Josephine Wolff

Brian Krebs is really more deeply reported on financial cyber criminals than almost anybody in the world.He’s really smart about the ways in which money drives a lot of these cyber crimes. [source]

22

The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age

David E. Sanger

4.4

From the premiere New York Times Washington correspondent, a stunning and incisive look into how cyberwarfare is influencing elections, threatening national security, and bringing us to the brink of global war.

Behind the Russian cyberattacks that may have thrown the 2016 election; behind the Sony hack; behind mysterious power outages around the world and the disappearance of thousands of personn

Recommended by Bill Gates.

Bill Gates

CEO/Microsoft

On Bill Gates's reading list in 2018. [source]

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23

Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs to Know(r)

P.W. Singer and Allan Friedman

4.4

A generation ago, "cyberspace" was just a term from science fiction, used to describe the nascent network of computers linking a few university labs. Today, our entire modern way of life, from communication to commerce to conflict, fundamentally depends on the Internet. And the cybersecurity issues that result challenge literally everyone: politicians wrestling with everything from cybercrime to o

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24

The Web Application Hacker's Handbook: Finding and Exploiting Security Flaws

Dafydd Stuttard

4.4

The highly successful security book returns with a new edition, completely updated Web applications are the front door to most organizations, exposing them to attacks that may disclose personal information, execute fraudulent transactions, or compromise ordinary users. This practical book has been completely updated and revised to discuss the latest step-by-step techniques for attacking and defend

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25

Data and Goliath: The Hidden Battles to Collect Your Data and Control Your World

Bruce Schneier

4.4

Your cell phone provider tracks your location and knows who’s with you. Your online and in-store purchasing patterns are recorded, and reveal if you're unemployed, sick, or pregnant. Your e-mails and texts expose your intimate and casual friends. Google knows what you’re thinking because it saves your private searches. Facebook can determine your sexual orientation without you ever mentioning it.

T

26

American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road

Nick Bilton

4.4

The unbelievable true story of the man who built a billion-dollar online drug empire from his bedroom—and almost got away with it.

In 2011, a twenty-six-year-old libertarian programmer named Ross Ulbricht launched the ultimate free market: the Silk Road, a clandestine Web site hosted on the Dark Web where anyone could trade anything—drugs, hacking software, forged passports, counterfeit cash, poiso

Recommended by Casey Neistat.

Casey Neistat

Founder/368 Creative Space

It is unbelievably riveting. It does that thing where at the end of every chapter it leaves you just enough we're like "aah!" and you have to read the first paragraph of the next chapter and then before you know it is a downward spiral and you end up finishing this book. Took me four days to get through this. [source]

27

The Art of Intrusion: The Real Stories Behind the Exploits of Hackers, Intruders and Deceivers

Kevin D. Mitnick, William L. Simon

4.3

Hacker extraordinaire Kevin Mitnick delivers the explosive encore to his bestselling The Art of Deception
Kevin Mitnick, the world's most celebrated hacker, now devotes his life to helping businesses and governments combat data thieves, cybervandals, and other malicious computer intruders. In his bestselling The Art of Deception, Mitnick presented fictionalized case studies that illustrated how sa

28

The Hacker Playbook 2: Practical Guide To Penetration Testing

Peter Kim

4.3

Just as a professional athlete doesn't show up without a solid game plan, ethical hackers, IT professionals, and security researchers should not be unprepared, either. The Hacker Playbook provides them their own game plans. Written by a longtime security professional and CEO of Secure Planet, LLC, this step-by-step guide to the "game" of penetration hacking features hands-on examples and helpful a

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29

Red Team Field Manual (RTFM)

Ben Clark

4.3

The Red Team Field Manual (RTFM) is a no fluff, but thorough reference guide for serious Red Team members who routinely find themselves on a mission without Google or the time to scan through a man page. The RTFM contains the basic syntax for commonly used Linux and Windows command line tools, but it also encapsulates unique use cases for powerful tools such as Python and Windows PowerShell. The R

30

Cryptonomicon

Neal Stephenson

4.3

With this extraordinary first volume in an epoch-making masterpiece, Neal Stephenson hacks into the secret histories of nations and the private obsessions of men, decrypting with dazzling virtuosity the forces that shaped this century.

In 1942, Lawrence Pritchard Waterhouse—mathematical genius and young Captain in the U.S. Navy—is assigned to detachment 2702. It is an outfit so secret that only a h

Recommended by Ev Williams, Marc Andreessen, Risto Siilasmaa, and 2 others.

Marc Andreessen

Co-Founder/Andreessen Horowitz

The Sovereign Individual—written 20 years ago, this is the most thought provoking book on the unfolding nature of the 21st Century that I’ve yet read. It’s packed with ideas on every page, many that are now fast becoming conventional wisdom, and many that are still heretical. Two related books to read are The Twilight of Sovereignty and Cryptonomicon. [source]

Risto Siilasmaa

CEO/Nokia

The one book on Siilasmaa's list is this fantasy offering from Neal Stephenson. The novel relates two parallel stories, one about an elite group of code-breakers in World War II, and another set in the present day, about two grandchildren of members of the group trying to track down a previously unknown – and rumored to be unbreakable – Nazi code. The book's subject matter resonates with current issues surrounding data liberty, computer surveillance and cyber security. [source]

Marko Rakar

This is a novel about a new world order where information is the currency, a virtual currency in the world. [source]

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31

Tribe of Hackers: Cybersecurity Advice from the Best Hackers in the World

Marcus J Carey, Jennifer Jin

4.3

There are already hundreds of thousands of cybersecurity professionals and according to some sources, there is a shortage of several more hundreds of thousands. Tribe of Hackers wants to change that. We asked for industry, career, and personal advice from 70 cybersecurity luminaries who are ready to break down barriers and shatter ceilings. It's about time.
This book can be a catalyst for change fo

32

The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution

Walter Isaacson

4.3

The computer and the internet are among the most important innovations of our era, but few people know who created them. They were not conjured up in a garret or garage by solo inventors suitable to be singled out on magazine covers or put into a pantheon with Edison, Bell, and Morse. Instead, most of the innovations of the digital age were done collaboratively. There were a lot of fascinating peo

Recommended by Brian Burkhart, Chris Fussell, Chris Oliver, and 4 others.

Brian Burkhart

This book is essentially a biography of all the people who’ve led to the technology of today—it’s fascinating. The most important point of the book is everything is one long, connected chain. There isn’t just one person or one industry that makes anything happen—it all goes way back. For example, the communication theory I have espoused and taught throughout my career is from Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato. Yeah, I’ve got my own spin on it—instead of ethos, pathos and logos, we say “know, feel, and do.” But it’s still based on their philosophies. Reading this book, I realized it’s not just someone like Steve Jobs who’s responsible for the era we live in. Rather, it’s Steve Jobs plus a whole lot of people from the last 200-plus years. [source]

Chris Fussell

The history of how great ideas evolve. [source]

Chris Oliver

I'm currently reading Innovators by Walter Isaacson. I love reading books like this because you learn about the lives of people who have created amazing things. It teaches you that their lives were often much harder than you realize and the struggles you're going through are very similar to what they had to go through before they were successful. It's really inspirational. [source]

33

The Hacker Playbook 3: Practical Guide to Penetration Testing

Peter Kim

4.3

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34

We Are Anonymous: Inside the Hacker World of LulzSec, Anonymous, and the Global Cyber Insurgency

Parmy Olson

4.3

A thrilling, exclusive expose of the hacker collectives Anonymous and LulzSec.

WE ARE ANONYMOUS is the first full account of how a loosely assembled group of hackers scattered across the globe formed a new kind of insurgency, seized headlines, and tortured the feds-and the ultimate betrayal that would eventually bring them down. Parmy Olson goes behind the headlines and into the world of Anonymous

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35

No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State

Glenn Greenwald

4.3

By Glenn Greenwald, star of Citizenfour, the Academy Award-winning documentary on Edward Snowden

In May 2013, Glenn Greenwald set out for Hong Kong to meet an anonymous source who claimed to have astonishing evidence of pervasive government spying and insisted on communicating only through heavily encrypted channels. That source turned out to be the twenty-nine-year-old NSA contractor Edward Snowde

Recommended by Gilbert Rwabigwi.

Gilbert Rwabigwi

Your book, “No Place To Hide”, was a thrilling/insightful read. Can’t wait to flip through @Snowden’s memoir. 🙏🏾 https://t.co/pZPLxDpNcM [source]

36

Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to Hacking

Georgia Weidman

4.3

In Penetration Testing, security researcher and trainer Georgia Weidman provides you with a survey of important skills that any aspiring pentester needs. This beginner-friendly book opens with some basics of programming and helps you navigate Kali Linux, an operating system that comes preloaded with useful computer security tools like Wireshark and Metasploit. You'll learn about gathering informat

Recommended by Alex Caceres/hacker Frmrly Known As Dotslashpunk.

Alex Caceres/hacker Frmrly Known As Dotslashpunk

@gvgm3 @SecurityTube For networks i'd have to say hands down the OSCP is likely one of the best you're going to find. Fuck the cert, take the course, get down and dirty in the labs and break everything. I hear @georgiaweidman's book is good (Pen testing with Metasploit) but have not read it myself [source]

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37

Security Engineering: A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems 2ed

Ross J. Anderson

4.3

The world has changed radically since the first edition of this book was published in 2001. Spammers, virus writers, phishermen, money launderers, and spies now trade busily with each other in a lively online criminal economy and as they specialize, they get better. In this indispensable, fully updated guide, Ross Anderson reveals how to build systems that stay dependable whether faced with error

Recommended by Ben Goldacre.

Ben Goldacre

@szbalint it's such a great book, i've always said @rossjanderson should release it in chunks as pop science books. the massive textbook shape doesn't do its accessibility, readability and content justice! [source]

38

Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution

Steven Levy

4.2

A mere fifteen years ago, computer nerds were seen as marginal weirdos, outsiders whose world would never resonate with the mainstream. That was before one pioneering work documented the underground computer revolution that was about to change our world forever. With groundbreaking profiles of Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, MIT's Tech Model Railroad Club, and more, Steven Levy's Hackers brilliantly ca

Recommended by Ev Williams.

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39

Secrets and Lies: Digital Security in a Networked World

Bruce Schneier

4.2

Viruses. Identity Theft. Corporate Espionage. National secrets compromised. Can anyone promise security in our digital world?

The man who introduced cryptography to the boardroom says no. But in this fascinating read, he shows us how to come closer by developing security measures in terms of context, tools, and strategy. Security is a process, not a product – one that system administrators and corp

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40

Click Here to Kill Everybody: Security and Survival in a Hyper-connected World

Bruce Schneier

4.2

A world of "smart" devices means the Internet can kill people. We need to act. Now.

Everything is a computer. Ovens are computers that make things hot; refrigerators are computers that keep things cold. These computers—from home thermostats to chemical plants—are all online. The Internet, once a virtual abstraction, can now sense and touch the physical world.

As we open our lives to this future, oft

Recommended by Alexander Stubb.

Alexander Stubb

I will get this book. Looks interesting beyond the title...Click Here to Kill Everybody by Bruce Schneier via @FT https://t.co/GGCRlsTflT [source]

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41

Black Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters

Justin Seitz

4.2

When it comes to creating powerful and effective hacking tools, Python is the language of choice for most security analysts. But just how does the magic happen?

In Black Hat Python, the latest from Justin Seitz (author of the best-selling Gray Hat Python), you'll explore the darker side of Python's capabilities writing network sniffers, manipulating packets, infecting virtual machines, creating ste

42

Cracking the Coding Interview: 189 Programming Questions and Solutions

Gayle Laakmann McDowell

4.2

I am not a recruiter. I am a software engineer. And as such, I know what it's like to be asked to whip up brilliant algorithms on the spot and then write flawless code on a whiteboard. I've been through this as a candidate and as an interviewer.

Cracking the Coding Interview, 6th Edition is here to help you through this process, teaching you what you need to know and enabling you to perform at your

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43

Mindf*ck: Cambridge Analytica and the Plot to Break America

Christopher Wylie

4.2

For the first time, the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower tells the inside story of the data mining and psychological manipulation behind the election of Donald Trump and the Brexit referendum, connecting Facebook, WikiLeaks, Russian intelligence, and international hackers.

Mindf*ck goes deep inside Cambridge Analytica's "American operations," which were driven by Steve Bannon's vision to remake Am

44

Nmap Network Scanning: The Official Nmap Project Guide to Network Discovery and Security Scanning

Gordon Fyodor Lyon

4.2

Nmap Network Scanning is the official guide to the Nmap Security Scanner, a free and open source utility used by millions of people for network discovery, administration, and security auditing. From explaining port scanning basics for novices to detailing low-level packet crafting methods used by advanced hackers, this book suits all levels of security and networking professionals. A 42-page refer

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45

Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms, and Source Code in C

Bruce Schneier

4.2

"…the best introduction to cryptography I've ever seen. … The book the National Security Agency wanted never to be published." –Wired Magazine

"…monumental… fascinating… comprehensive… the definitive work on cryptography for computer programmers…" –Dr. Dobb's Journal

"…easily ranks as one of the most authoritative in its field." —PC Magazine

"…the bible of code hackers." –The Millennium Whole Earth

Recommended by Dominic Steil.

Dominic Steil

One of the five books recommends to young people interested in his career path. [source]

46

The Hacker Playbook: Practical Guide To Penetration Testing

Peter Ki

4.2

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47

Worm: The First Digital World War

Mark Bowden

4.2

Recommended by Josephine Wolff.

Josephine Wolff

Worm is about the Conficker worm, which was one of the earlier very, very effective pieces of malware used to build an enormous bot. Mark Bowden goes in and looks at who the people are trying to stop it. It’s one of the first books that gave me a feel for, ‘Oh, this is what it means when they say attacking is easier than defending.’ The defensive efforts were well-coordinated and reasonably well resourced, but Conficker was very hard to get a handle on. [source]

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48

Open Source Intelligence Techniques: Resources for Searching and Analyzing Online Information

Michael Bazzell

4.2

Completely Rewritten Sixth Edition Sheds New Light on Open Source Intelligence Collection and Analysis Author Michael Bazzell has been well known in government circles for his ability to locate personal information about any target through Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). In this book, he shares his methods in great detail. Each step of his process is explained throughout twenty-five chapters of

49

5 Habits of the Tech-Ready Family: Raising Wise Kids in a Wild Digital World

Chris McKenna

4.2

With just five simple habits, you can shape an environment where your kids grow confident, resilient, and ready to face the challenges, dangers, and opportunities of an ever-changing online world.Childhood today looks very different than it used to. Smartphones, AI, and social media shape how kids play, learn, and connect. But behind the screens lurks a digital beast engineered to capture their at

50

Blue Team Field Manual (BTFM)

Alan J White

4.2

Blue Team Field Manual (BTFM) is a Cyber Security Incident Response Guide that aligns with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework consisting of the five core functions of Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover by providing the tactical steps to follow and commands to use when preparing for, working through and recovering from a Cyber Security Incident.

51

Lights Out: A Cyberattack: A Nation Unprepared: Surviving the Aftermath

Ted Koppel

4.2

In this New York Times bestselling investigation, Ted Koppel reveals that a major cyberattack on America's power grid is not only possible but likely, that it would be devastating, and that the United States is shockingly unprepared.

Imagine a blackout lasting not days, but weeks or months. Tens of millions of people over several states are affected. For those without access to a generator, there

Recommended by Kaskade.

Kaskade

It was a really interesting read, and it scared the crap out of me. [source]

52

Python Crash Course, 2nd Edition: A Hands-On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming

Eric Matthes

4.2

Second edition of the best selling Python book in the world. A fast-paced, no-nonsense guide to programming in Python. This book teaches beginners the basics of programming in Python with a focus on real projects.

This is the second edition of the best selling Python book in the world. Python Crash Course, 2nd Edition is a straightforward introduction to the core of Python programming. Author Eric

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53

Malware Analyst's Cookbook and DVD: Tools and Techniques for Fighting Malicious Code

Michael Ligh, Steven Adair, Blake Hartstein, Matthew Richard

4.1

A computer forensics "how-to" for fighting malicious code and analyzing incidentsWith our ever-increasing reliance on computers comes an ever-growing risk of malware. Security professionals will find plenty of solutions in this book to the problems posed by viruses, Trojan horses, worms, spyware, rootkits, adware, and other invasive software. Written by well-known malware experts, this guide revea

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54

@War: The Rise of the Military-Internet Complex

Shane Harris

4.1

A surprising, page-turning account of how the wars of the future are already being fought todayThe United States military currently views cyberspace as the “fifth domain” of warfare (alongside land, air, sea, and space), and the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, and the CIA all field teams of hackers who can, and do, launch computer virus strikes against enemy targets. In fact,

55

Windows Internals, Part 1: User Mode

Pavel Yosifovich, Mark E. Russinovich, et al.

4.1

Delve inside Windows architecture and internals - and see how core components work behind the scenes. This classic guide has been fully updated for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2, and now presents its coverage in three volumes: Book 1, User Mode; Book 2, Kernel Mode; Book 3, Device Driver Models.

In Book 1, you'll plumb Windows fundamentals, independent of platform - server, desktop, tablet

Recommended by Rob Fuller.

Rob Fuller

@maddiestone Awesome book, I've read a couple editions and always learn new things. Have fun ;-) I would also recommend reading the older editions they have tricks and info that seem to disappear in newer ones. [source]

61

Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy: The Many Faces of Anonymous

Gabriella Coleman

Mojang Ab

4.1

The world of Minecraft is so varied and limitless that incredible creations can often be daunting to think about, never mind build.

The official Minecraft: Guide to Creative will teach you all you need to know to create builds more impressive than you could've dreamed of.

With insider info and tips from the experts at Mojang, this is the definitive guide to creation in Minecraft.

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68

Building an Effective Cybersecurity Program, 2nd Edition

Tari Schreider

4.1

69

The Practice of Network Security Monitoring: Understanding Incident Detection and Response

Richard Bejtlich

4.1

Network security is not simply about building impenetrable walls — determined attackers will eventually overcome traditional defenses. The most effective computer security strategies integrate network security monitoring (NSM): the collection and analysis of data to help you detect and respond to intrusions.

In The Practice of Network Security Monitoring, Mandiant CSO Richard Bejtlich shows you how

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70

The Industries of the Future

Alec Ross

4.1

This book answers the question: 'What's next?' The Internet had a world-changing impact on businesses and the global community over the twenty years from 1994 to 2014. In the next ten years, change will happen even faster.

As Hillary Clinton's Senior Advisor for Innovation, Alec Ross travelled nearly a million miles to forty-one countries, the equivalent of two round-trips to the moon. From refuge

Recommended by Reid Hoffman, Marvin Liao, and Ivan Kv.

Marvin Liao

Partner/500 Startups

My list would be (besides the ones I mentioned in answer to the previous question) both business & Fiction/Sci-Fi and ones I personally found helpful to myself. The business books explain just exactly how business, work & investing are in reality & how to think properly & differentiate yourself. On the non-business side, a mix of History & classic fiction to understand people, philosophy to make sense of life and Science fiction to picture what the future could be like (not always utopian). [source]

Ivan Kv

I have finally finished reading your book (Industries of the Future), @AlecJRoss... My favorite read this year. #VR #AI #Genomics #cybersecurity #BigData #future https://t.co/qHsIYABkWS [source]

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71

The Basics of Hacking and Penetration Testing: Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing Made Easy

Patrick Engebretson

4.1

"The Basics of Hacking and Penetration Testing "serves as an introduction to the steps required to complete a penetration test or perform an ethical hack. You learn how to properly utilize and interpret the results of modern day hacking tools; which are required to complete a penetration test. Tool coverage will include, Backtrack Linux, Google, Whois, Nmap, Nessus, Metasploit, Netcat, Netbus, and

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72

The IDA Pro Book: The Unofficial Guide to the World's Most Popular Disassembler

Chris Eagle

4.1

No source code? No problem. With IDA Pro, you live in a source code-optional world. IDA can automatically analyze the millions of opcodes that make up an executable and present you with a disassembly. But at that point, your work is just beginning. With The IDA Pro Book, you'll learn how to turn that mountain of mnemonics into something you can actually use.

Hailed by the creator of IDA Pro as the

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73

The Hacked World Order: How Nations Fight, Trade, Maneuver, and Manipulate in the Digital Age

Adam Segal

4.1

For more than three hundred years, the world wrestled with conflicts that arose between nation-states. Nation-states wielded military force, financial pressure, and diplomatic persuasion to create “world order.” Even after the end of the Cold War, the elements comprising world order remained essentially unchanged.

But 2012 marked a transformation in geopolitics and the tactics of both the establish

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74

Michael Hale Ligh, Andrew Case, Jamie Levy, AAron Walters

4.0

Memory forensics provides cutting edge technology to help investigate digital attacks Memory forensics is the art of analyzing computer memory (RAM) to solve digital crimes. As a follow-up to the best seller Malware Analyst's Cookbook, experts in the fields of malware, security, and digital forensics bring you a step-by-step guide to memory forensics--now the most sought after skill in the digital

78

Minecraft: Guide to Redstone

Mojang Ab

4.0

Learn the art of redstone and become a master engineer with Minecraft: Guide to Redstone, then put theory into practice to construct intricate contraptions in Minecraft.

Pick up the basics of the redstone components and their uses, discover how to make working circuits, and create incredibly complex builds using your new skills.

With insider info and tips from the experts at Mojang, this is the def

79

94

Raef Meeuwisse

4.0

This book provides an easy insight into the essentials of cybersecurity, even if you have a non-technical background. You may be a business person keen to understand this important subject area or an information security specialist looking to update your knowledge.

'The world has changed more in the past 10 years than in any 10 year period in human history... Technology is no longer a peripheral se

99

Gray Day: My Undercover Mission to Expose America's First Cyber Spy

Eric O'Neill

4.0

A cybersecurity expert and former FBI "ghost" tells the thrilling story of how he helped take down notorious FBI mole Robert Hanssen, the first Russian cyber spy.

"Both a real-life, tension-packed thriller and a persuasive argument for traditional intelligence work in the information age."--Bruce Schneier, New York Times bestselling author of Data and Goliath and Click Here to Kill Everybody

Eric O'

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100

Extreme Privacy: What It Takes to Disappear in America

Michael Bazzell

4.0