08 Where can I get more information on viruses, etc? (Computer virus)
Description
This article is from the Computer Viruses FAQ, by Nick FitzGerald n.fitzgerald@csc.canterbury.ac.nz with numerous contributions by others.
08 Where can I get more information on viruses, etc? (Computer virus)
Five very good books on computer viruses that cover most of the
introductory and technical questions you might have are:
"Computers Under Attack: Intruders, Worms and Viruses" edited by
Peter J. Denning, ACM Press/Addison-Wesley, 1990. This is a
book of collected readings that discuss computer viruses,
computer worms, break-ins, and social aspects, and many other
items related to computer security and malicious software. A
very solid, readable collection that doesn't require a highly-
technical background. Price: $20.50.
"Rogue Programs: Viruses, Worms and Trojan Horses" edited by Lance
J. Hoffman, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1990. This is a book of
collected readings describing in detail how viruses work,
where they come from, what they do, etc. It also has
material on worms, Trojan Horse programs, and other malicious
software programs. This book focuses more on mechanism and
relatively less on social aspects than does the Denning book;
however, there is an excellent piece by Anne Branscomb that
covers legal aspects. Price: $32.95.
"A Pathology of Computer Viruses" by David Ferbrache, Springer-
Verlag, 1992. This is an in-depth book on the history,
operation, and effects of computer viruses. It is one of the
most complete books on the subject, with an extensive history
section, a section on Macintosh viruses, network worms, and
Unix viruses. Price $49.00.
"A Short Course on Computer Viruses", 2nd edition, by Dr. Fred B.
Cohen, Wiley, 1994. This book is by a well-known pioneer in
virus research, who has also written dozens of technical
papers on the subject. Price: $35.00 ($45.00 with
accompanying diskette).
"Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses", by Robert Slade,
Springer-Verlag, 1994. This book is a comprehensive
introduction to computer viruses, written in a clear and easy
style for non-experts. Price $29.00.
A somewhat dated, but still useful, high-level description of viruses,
suitable for a complete novice with little computer background is
"Computer Viruses: Dealing with Electronic Vandalism and Programmed
Threats" by Eugene H. Spafford, Kathleen A. Heaphy, and David J.
Ferbrache, ITAA (Arlington, VA), 1989. ITAA (Information Technology
Association of America) is a computer industry service organization and
not a publisher. While many people have indicated they find this a very
understandable reference it is now out of print, but portions of it have
been reprinted in many other places, including Denning and Hoffman's
books (above).
It is also worth consulting various publications such as _Computers &
Security_ and _SECURE Computing_ (both of which, while not limited to
viruses, contain many relevant papers) and the _Virus Bulletin_
(published in the UK, it contains many technical articles).
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