Written by Sara L. Latta
Cybercrime is a hot topic these days. Recent attacks on several huge corporations, apparently by China’s military, have raised people’s awareness of the dangers involved and the extreme security measures being taken to secure information. Huge companies, government agencies, and individuals alike have been dealing with digital security for as long as computers have been in existence, but the problem has intensified with the introduction of networks and the Internet. This title explains the many ways that computers play a role in both causing and solving crimes.
Naturally, computer geeks will be interested in this title, but many sixth grade readers and older will find it a fascinating read. Real crimes and their consequences are included, along with some of the details on how each case was cracked. Each chapter is filled with true tales of the forensic work that caught the double agents and computer users who crossed the line from ‘white hats ’to black hats’. Many of the stories will sound familiar and others will serve as cautionary tales of what happens to people who make poor computing choices. ‘Zombies’, ‘bots’, ‘phishing’, ‘pirating’, ‘spam’, ‘worms’, ‘phreaks’ are some of the many terms that readers will be introduced to as they build comprehension skills. The last chapter explains the skills, experience and credentials required to join the fight against cybercrime.
The edgy design includes plenty of color photos. Extra information is included in contrasting spreads on topics like avoiding e-mail scams, copyright and file-sharing.
The author’s website: http://www.saralatta.com/
Here you’ll find an interview in which the author shares how she writes her science books. It includes a picture of her office: http://blog.enslow.com/2012/11/interview-with-author-sara-latta.html#links