Discover the Best Books for Software Security and Hacking – Top 10 Recommendations by Reddit Users
With the growing threat of cyber attacks, it’s essential to stay informed about software security and hacking techniques. Fortunately, there are many great books on the market that cover these topics in depth. Reddit users have recommended some of the best books on software security, covering topics such as malware analysis, encryption, and social engineering. In this article, we will provide an overview of these books and their contents.
“The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook” by Dafydd Stuttard and Marcus Pinto
“The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook” is a comprehensive guide to web application security that covers the latest hacking techniques and how to defend against them. The book provides a detailed overview of web application vulnerabilities, including cross-site scripting, SQL injection, and session hijacking, and explains how attackers exploit these vulnerabilities to compromise web applications. The authors also cover the tools and techniques used by hackers, as well as the best practices and tools that developers can use to build secure web applications.
“Security Engineering: A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems” by Ross Anderson
“Security Engineering” is a comprehensive guide to building secure and dependable distributed systems. The book covers a wide range of security engineering principles and practices, including cryptography, access control, intrusion detection, and security protocols. The author provides detailed examples of how these principles can be applied to real-world systems, and offers guidance on how to design and implement secure systems that can withstand attacks and failures.
“Threat Modeling: Designing for Security” by Adam Shostack
“Threat Modeling” is a guide to designing secure software by identifying and addressing potential security threats. The book covers the threat modeling process, including how to identify potential threats, assess their impact, and develop countermeasures to mitigate them. The author also covers the different threat modeling methodologies and provides guidance on how to integrate threat modeling into the software development lifecycle.
“Hacking: The Art of Exploitation” by Jon Erickson
“Hacking: The Art of Exploitation” is a hands-on guide to hacking that teaches readers how to write their own exploits. The book covers a wide range of hacking techniques, including stack overflow attacks, format string vulnerabilities, and heap overflows, and provides detailed examples of how to exploit these vulnerabilities. The author also covers the basics of assembly language and C programming, and provides guidance on how to use these languages to write exploits.
“Applied Cryptography” by Bruce Schneier
“Applied Cryptography” is a comprehensive guide to cryptography and its applications in software security. The book covers the principles of cryptography, including symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hash functions, and digital signatures, and explains how to use these principles to secure software. The author also covers the latest cryptographic protocols and provides guidance on how to implement them in software.
“The Tangled Web: A Guide to Securing Modern Web Applications” by Michal Zalewski
“The Tangled Web” is a guide to web application security that covers the latest web application security issues and how to defend against them. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the basics of web architecture, HTTP, and HTML, as well as the latest web application vulnerabilities, including cross-site scripting, CSRF, and Clickjacking. The author also provides guidance on how to use different security measures, including CSP, HSTS, and HTTPS, to secure web applications.
“Black Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters” by Justin Seitz
“Black Hat Python” is a guide to using the Python programming language for hacking and penetration testing. The book covers a wide range of topics, including network programming, web scraping, and reverse engineering, and provides detailed examples of how to use Python to write exploits and automate hacking tasks. The author also covers the basics of the Python language, making it an accessible resource for both beginner and experienced Python programmers.
“The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security” by Kevin Mitnick and William L. Simon
“The Art of Deception” is a guide to social engineering and how to defend against it. The book covers a wide range of social engineering techniques, including pretexting, phishing, and baiting, and explains how attackers use these techniques to gain access to secure systems. The authors also provide guidance on how to identify and defend against social engineering attacks, including training employees and implementing security policies.
“Serious Cryptography: A Practical Introduction to Modern Encryption” by Jean-Philippe Aumasson
“Serious Cryptography” is a guide to modern encryption and its practical applications. The book covers the principles of encryption, including symmetric and asymmetric encryption, hash functions, and authenticated encryption, and provides detailed examples of how to use these techniques to secure data. The author also covers the latest cryptographic protocols, including TLS 1.3 and Signal Protocol, and provides guidance on how to implement them in software.
“The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook: Finding and Exploiting Security Flaws” by Dafydd Stuttard and Marcus Pinto
“The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook” is a comprehensive guide to web application security and how to test for vulnerabilities. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the basics of web application architecture, input validation, authentication, and access control, and provides detailed examples of how to find and exploit security flaws in web applications. The authors also cover the latest attack techniques, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and file inclusion vulnerabilities.
“The Art of Exploitation” by Jon Erickson
“The Art of Exploitation” is a guide to software exploitation and how to write exploits. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the basics of assembly language, stack overflows, format string vulnerabilities, heap overflows, and return-oriented programming. The author also provides detailed examples of how to write exploits for real-world software vulnerabilities, making it an excellent resource for both beginner and experienced exploit developers.
“Practical Malware Analysis: The Hands-On Guide to Dissecting Malicious Software” by Michael Sikorski and Andrew Honig
“Practical Malware Analysis” is a guide to malware analysis and how to dissect malicious software. The book covers a wide range of topics, including malware behavior analysis, code analysis, and memory forensics, and provides detailed examples of how to analyze real-world malware samples. The authors also cover the latest malware analysis tools and techniques, making it an essential resource for anyone interested in malware analysis or reverse engineering.
In conclusion, software security is a critical topic for anyone interested in technology or cybersecurity. The books recommended by Reddit users provide an excellent starting point for those looking to learn more about software exploitation, malware analysis, social engineering, and encryption. By reading these books and staying informed about the latest threats and vulnerabilities, you can better protect yourself and your organization from cyber attacks. Remember to always practice safe online habits and keep your software up to date to stay one step ahead of the hackers.