Book Review: Hacking for Dummies, 8th Edition 

Hacking for Dummies, 8th edition. By Kevin Beaver. Publisher: John Wiley, & Sons; 416 pages; $29.99 (softcover) 

Imagine a pediatrician and an information security professional who both retired in 2021. They reenter the workforce in 2026 after a five-year hiatus. The pediatrician may only need a few days to reacclimate. But the information security professional will most likely see that so much technology has changed. The learning curve is so steep that he or she may decide to retire again. 

I first reviewed Hacking for Dummies in 2006 when the second edition was released. With the 8th edition of the book just published, Kevin Beaver has again written a valuable, completely updated guide. 

So, why is an 8th edition of this book needed? If you connect a computer to the Internet, you will find that within an hour or so, someone is either passively scanning it or actively trying to break into it. If you don’t adequately secure it, that computer and the underlying network are at risk.

Computer, network, and cloud security are complex topics. If you do not stay on top of things to ensure that the data and underlying systems are secured and adequately protected, your devices and network will inevitably be attacked and possibly breached. For those breached, legal costs often far exceed what good security would have cost. 

In this helpful, easy-to-read guide, Beaver provides a practical resource that teaches you real-world hacking and penetration testing skills. 

The current edition shares the same basic motif as previous editions. Still, it has been updated to include details on artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and new hacking and penetration testing tools that have emerged since the last edition. 

The book is intended for IT professionals, system administrators, and technically inclined readers who are comfortable with basic computer and network security concepts but do not need to be advanced users. It is organized into seven parts and covers all the core areas of securing an IT infrastructure, from physical security and operating systems to wireless and mobile applications. 

While readers don’t need to have a deep technical understanding, the book provides enough detail for a hands-on approach. For those seeking a high-level theoretical approach to network defense, look elsewhere. This is an in-the-trenches guide to help ensure your organization's systems and network are secure. If you want a practical, real-world hacking and penetration testing guide, Hacking for Dummies remains an excellent resource. 

Reviewer: Ben Rothke, CISSP, CISM, CISA, is a New York City based senior information security manager with Tapad and has more than 20 years of industry experience in information systems security and privacy. His areas of expertise are in risk management and mitigation, security and privacy regulatory issues, design and implementation of systems security, encryption, cryptography, and security policy development. He wrote Computer Security - 20 Things Every Employee Should Know.