Book Review: Online Risk

Reviewed by Ben Rothke

01 December 2015

Print Issue: December 2015

Butterworth-Heinemann; Elsevier.com; 286 pages; $39.95

Twitter has ended the careers of many high-profile athletes and politicians. Inappropriate Instagram photos have led to suicides. Negative feedback on Facebook has sent many brands running for cover. While the benefits of social media are significant, so are the risks. Knowing how to deal with those risks in advance can save not just money and reputations, but lives.

In Managing Online Risk: Apps, Mobile, and Social Media Security, attorney Deborah Gonzalez provides a formal roadmap on how to develop an online business presence without becoming a social media embarrassment.

The book gives readers a broad overview of what they need to do to ensure that they don’t place their business at risk when using social media. The book provides many checklists, policy samples, and other helpful hints that can be used to understand the many security and reputational risks that come along with social media. Many of these are available at the book’s companion website at http://www.managingonlinerisk.com.

The book’s 10 chapters go into detail on topics such as reputation, compliance, identity, Big Data, and the future of online security. Those looking for a high-level introductory approach to the topic, yet with significant tactical and practical advice, will find that Managing Online Risk is a good resource.

Reviewer: Ben Rothke, CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), is a senior information security consultant with The Nettitude Group.