Computer Systems Security: Planning for Success

Reviewed by Felix Olowononi, Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity, Marymount University on 6/21/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text covers all areas and ideas of the subject appropriately. The labs are also great and helps the student understand the material very well.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Content is accurate, error-free and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is relevant and fits the objectives of the latest CompTIA Security + examination. This will help the authors to update the text as the objectives of the examinations of the examination changes in future.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is very clear and appeals to technical and non-technical readers. The use of diagrams are also very helpful.

Consistency rating: 4

In terms of terminology and framework, the text is quite consistent.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is easily and readily divisible into smaller reading sections that can be assigned at different points within the course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

I think the author introduces the principle of Cryptography a bit to early (chapter 2) before foundational networking topics like Protocols (chapter 4) and Access Control (chapter 7).

Interface rating: 4

The interface of the book is very satisfactory and poses no element of confusion or distraction to the reader.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text has no grammatical errors. The language of presentation is suitable for all readers, independent of race or ethnicity.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I believe the book is culturally sensitive and fits readers from all races and backgrounds.

Comments

The book serves as an introduction to the field of computer security. The author kept it simple to attract newcomers to the field and also put in screenshots of code that will appeal to advanced users. By aligning the book to the objectives of the popular CompTIA Security + SY0-601 certification examination, the book will serve many people who are transiting from other fields into the field of cybersecurity. Access to labs also puts the book above other similar ones.

Reviewed by Laurie Alfaro, Associate Professor, City Colleges of Chicago on 5/12/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book might be good for a 101 course. It presents a high-level overview of a number of concepts related to Cybersecurity but doesn't go into much depth; a good primer on terminology and basic concepts.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

I didn't see any glaring inaccuracies

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

The field of Cybersecurity is rapidly evolving. By the time something is in print, it is already outdated.

Clarity rating: 5

Extremely clear and easy to understand

Consistency rating: 5

Consistent tone and voice

Modularity rating: 5

I appreciated how neatly the chapters map to a 15-week semester.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Each chapter builds nicely onto the next.

Interface rating: 5

I viewed the PDF version; no issues with the interface

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical issues found

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

All examples were presented in a neutral way without reference to culture or ethnicity.