By Daniel J. Barrett, Richard E. Silverman
First Edition
February 2001
Pages: 558
ISBN 10: 0-596-00011-1 |
ISBN 13: 9780596000110
(Average of 13 Customer Reviews)
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SSH (Secure Shell) is a popular, robust, TCP/IP-based product for network security and privacy, supporting strong encryption and authentication. This book covers Unix, Windows, and Macintosh implementations of SSH. It shows both system administrators and end users how to install, maintain, and troubleshoot SSH; configure servers and clients in simple and complex ways; apply SSH to practical problems; and protect other TCP applications through forwarding (tunneling).
Full Description
- SSH1, SSH2, OpenSSH, and F-Secure SSH for Unix, plus Windows and Macintosh products: the basics, the internals, and complex applications.
- Configuring SSH servers and clients, both system-wide and per user, with recommended settings to maximize security.
- Advanced key management using agents, agent forwarding, and forced commands.
- Forwarding (tunneling) of TCP and X11 applications in depth, even in the presence of firewalls and network address translation (NAT).
- Undocumented behaviors of popular SSH implementations.
- Installing and maintaining SSH systems.
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Book details
First Edition: February 2001
ISBN: 0-596-00011-1
Pages: 558
Average Customer Reviews: (Based on 13 Reviews)
Featured customer reviews
Secure Know-How!, May 23 2004
SSH: The Definitive Guide is an exemplary book written in detailed, easy-to-understand language that makes working with and understanding the SSH protocol and programs very simple.
Being an "ordinary user" myself, there were parts of this book that I did not understand very well, in every single case, these were chapters "meant for" sysadmins and other demi-gods and the authors made sure to mention this fact.
The book is also organized with this in mind, and so your approach to this book really depends on what level of expertise you already have with computer networking. I found that to be a valuable asset, as I am sure to return to this book when I learn more.
In addition to all of that, I found it to be a remarkably good starter for learning about and understanding cryptography. It is not a cyptography or cryptanalysis primer, but it does a surprisingly good job of explaining what these are to the uninitiated.
It's without doubt an extremeley helpful book that can come in handy and educational for both the average user and the system administrator.
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, January 02 2004
Really a great book for understanding & working with SSH...
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, September 09 2003
This book is very good selling product for my customers. It is writed clear, with good level of technical details. Many technically detailed examples show how to configure a SSH servers with more variants of integrating SSH with non-Unix client platforms.
John Patrick
webmaster of John's Book Store
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, August 08 2003
SSH, the Secure Shell: The Defintive Guide is another great book from O'Reilly. As the name would suggest, however, it's not so much a meant as a tutorial or a howto as it is an in-depth analysis of SSH's workings, though the examples given could probably be used as the former.
The first chapters of the book begin with a lookat what SSH is, a summary of its general uses, and the differences between the various SSH implmentations. It then quickly moves onto a number of practical examples, with explanations of both the 'how' and 'why' behind the examples.
Some of the more interesting examples are those that demonstrate X11 tunnelling, key management, and how SSH can be integrated with other applications (such as PGP, for example).
One of the major faults of the book is in the writing style. The regular switching back and forth between a conversational tone and a serious, technical one was something that I found rather annoying. But other than that, this is more or less a well-rounded and nicely written book on SSH, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who is interested in this topic.
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, July 19 2003
I like this book.
Excerpted from SSH, the Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide This chapter covers advanced SSH topics including cron jobs, FTP forwarding, Pine, IMAP, Kerberos, and connecting through a gateway host.
MC
-webmaster of Extra reviews
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, July 19 2003
I like this book.
Excerpted from SSH, the Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide This chapter covers advanced SSH topics including cron jobs, FTP forwarding, Pine, IMAP, Kerberos, and connecting through a gateway host.
MC
-webmaster of http://www.extra-reviews.biz/
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, April 13 2003
"A comprehensive study... explanations are clear and thorough" read full review
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, March 04 2001
An excellent guide for administrators or power users. Gives enough information to understand how to implement or accomplish tasks without going too deep into the inner workings. (Example: The cypher overview was brief and clear without delving into technical differences.) Discussions of different authentication methods are also handled well, and you'll definitely understand the trade-offs between hostbased, public key and passwd authentication well enough to make informed decisions.
Only drawback I could find was related to the extensive documentation on how the various software implementations differed and how un-documented or mis-documented features actually work. This information is really invaluable, but much will soon be outdated.
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, October 06 2000
Before reviewing this book, I had used SSH but possessed no special understanding of the protocol or software. This book reads like a dream. Chapter 2, on basic SSH use is fantastic: the writing clear, the examples sound, and the benefit to SSH understanding great. It does a splendid job of laying a proper foundation which the rest of the text builds on. The chapters on the SecureCRT and F-Secure Windows clients are also excellent.
-Security Consultant, Fiderus Strategic Security and Privacy Services
Technical Reviewer
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, October 06 2000
This book is excellent, suitable for beginners up through sysadmins,
and a good reference on SSH configuration. The level of technical
detail is just right, not going deeply into packet structures (for
that you should read the SSH specifications) but explaining difficult
issues like port forwardings in a very clear way. The chapter on
recommended setup is very good because there are tons of configuration
options in SSH.
Jari Ollikka
SSH Development Manager
F-Secure Corporation (Creators of F-Secure SSH)
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, October 05 2000
Blimey, this book is great. Although I am an experienced SSH user, its amazing to see the volume of subject matter covered. The authors have done a really good job at capturing all the essential elements - and much more. They should get a lot of well-deserved praise for providing us with this much needed text.
Mike Smith
Technical Reviewer.
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, October 05 2000
This book is essential reading for anyone interested in SSH at any level.
It serves as a handy guide through the complex maze of SSH protocols,
implementations, and deployment issues.
SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide Review, October 05 2000
I like this book. It covers a wide range of tasks to solve with SSH,
using a variety of protocol implementations and platforms. Topics range
from "what is security" and "how to run SSH" up through advanced
configuration and usage. This book will be very useful to both SSH
administrators and users.
I was a technical reviewer for this book. (I am also the developer of free Windows ports of SSH1 and SSH2.)
Media reviews
"'SSH, the Secure Shell: The Defintiive Guide' is another great book from O'Reilly...a well-rounded and nicely written book on SSH, and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who is interested in this topic."
--Pensacola Linux User's Group, August 7, 2003
http://www.pcolalug.org/library/bookview.php?isbn=0596000111
"'SSH The Secure Shell' is the antidote to a naive setup. When using SSH frequently in a hostile environment (e.g., over the Internet), it is a 'better have' book...The writing is transparent (doesn't draw attention to itself). Clearly the authors have worked with SSH extensively (the section on FTP is not something you can get from the program documentation). Woven throughout is a gentle critique of where the program design choices could have been better. I expect that this book is going to stay within reach for a week or two while I get my SSH setups running effortlessly and then it will move to the archival bookcase until I need to setup a new computer. That's how I like things to work - set it up right once and then it just works."
--Jeffrey Taylor, ERCB, December 2002
"Recommended reading ... an excellent tool at the disposal of system administrators...'SSH, the Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide' is a resource that system administrators will want to keep close at hand."
--Will Bober, Bay Linux User Group, Saskatoon, Canada
"'SSH, The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide' will be another 'must have' O'Reilly volume for many system administrators...a valuable resource...Its explanations are clear and thorough...Perhaps most importantly, 'The Secure Shell' is organized so one can easily skip unwanted detail and find just those portions that are relevant. As a result, it can be used in different ways--read through to learn about ssh and what it can be used for, or just consulted as necessary to answer particular questions or solve particular problems."
--Danny Yee, slashdot.org, May 2002
"This book has been difficult to review, not because of any difficulty in reading the book; the authors have made what could be a dry textbook immensely readable. The difficulty I have had reviewing it was that I took it to work to help me with a task I was carrying out, and my fellow Sys Admins fell on it with great interest. It took me some time to get hold of it for long enough to go through it in the detail needed for a review...in common with all of O'Reilly's titles, the authors have gone to pains to explain the subject without being boring. Where it would be clearer to have a diagram to reinforce a point then there is a diagram…If you are looking to secure your network, or just want to find out more about secure transports, then this is the book to buy. Now if I can only find out who's got it now."--Peter Scott, FirstMonday, April 2002
"A good source of comparative information without the baggage of unnecessary technical detail." --Major Kearny, Book News, July 2001
"These days, it's folly not to use SSH. O'Reilly gives us the usual thorough guide to the collection of programs that comprise the SSH protocols in this essential bookshelf stuffer for any sysadmin." --Netsurfer Digest Feb 23, 2001
"In a nutshell, the book SSH, the Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide expands on two basic ideas: Privacy is a basic human right, but on today's computer networks, privacy isn't guaranteed. (and) SSH is a simple idea, but it has many complex parts. But the truth is that the need for privacy and security on today's networks is far too important to be encapsulated in two bullets. This book is so loaded with valuable and important information that anyone using or administering SSH should read it thoroughly. SSH, the Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide is everything you need to know about SSH and lives up to its bold claim of being a definitive guide. For the SSH aficionado on a tight budget, the comprehensive SSH FAQ can be downloaded from various sites on the Web. For everyone else who needs to understand the often-undocumented inner-workings of SSH, this book is required reading." --Ben Rothke, www.unixreview.com, April 2001
The suite of utility applications that Unix users and administrators find indispensable--Telnet, rlogin, FTP, and the rest--can in fact prove to be the undoing of interconnected systems. The Secure Shell, a.k.a. SSH (which isn't a true shell at all) provides your otherwise attack-prone utilities with the protection they need. SSH: The Secure Shell: The Definitive Guide explains how to use SSH at all levels. In a blended sequence, the book explains what SSH is all about, how it fits into a larger security scheme, and how to employ it as an everyday user with an SSH client. More technically detailed chapters show how to configure a SSH server--several variants are covered--and how to integrate SSH with non-Unix client platforms.
As befits its detail- and variation-rich subject, this book comprises many specialized sections, each dealing with some specific aspect of use or configuration (setting up access control at the account level, for example, or generating keys for a particular SSH server). The writing is both informative and fun to read; the authors switch back and forth between text and entry-and-response listings from SSH machines. They often run through a half-dozen or more variants on the same command in a few pages, providing the reader with lots of practical information. The discussion of how SSH fits into a Kerberos Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is great, as is the advice on defeating particular kinds of attacks. --David Wall, amazon.com March 2001
