Press Room

Press Release: January 23, 2008

Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, Second Edition--New from No Starch Press: The Seminal Hacker's Handbook

San Francisco, CA--When No Starch Press released the first edition of Hacking: The Art of Exploitation in 2003, it illuminated the poorly understood and undeservedly maligned practice of hacking. Hacking is the art of creative problem solving, whether that means finding an unconventional solution to a difficult problem or exploiting holes in sloppy programming. Hacking was the first book to explore software exploits in-depth, at the code level. It earned rave reviews, topped best-seller lists, and has been translated into eleven languages.

In this all-new, expanded, second edition of Hacking: The Art of Exploitation (No Starch Press, February 2008, 488 pp., ISBN 9781593271442), author Jon Erickson again peels back the skin of arcane exploits to explain what happens in the code--and the underlying logic of attacks. As readers explore each technique, they not only learn about a particular security flaw, but also why most software is insecure. At nearly twice the size of the first edition, and including a new introduction to the complex, low-level workings of computers, this 2nd edition of Hacking offers readers more than ever, as they learn how to:

  • Corrupt system memory to run arbitrary code using buffer overflows and format strings
  • Inspect processor registers and system memory with a debugger
  • Outsmart common security measures like nonexecutable stacks and intrusion detection systems
  • Gain access to a remote server using port-binding or connect-back shellcode and alter a server's logging behavior to hide your presence
  • Redirect network traffic, conceal open ports, and hijack TCP connections
  • Crack encryption protocols used for securing wireless traffic, storing passwords, and verifying identities.

Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, 2nd Edition also includes a LiveCD with a complete Linux environment preconfigured for programming, debugging, manipulating network traffic, and cracking encryption--all without modifying the current operating system.

Many people call themselves hackers, but few have the strong technical foundation needed to really push the envelope. Countless books on hacking only skim the surface, presenting existing exploits without explanation or a focus on understanding. But running someone else�s code can only get you so far. By revealing the science and reason behind the code, Hacking: The Art of Exploitation brings readers right into the creative world of hacking.

Praise for the first edition of Hacking:

"Most complete tutorial on hacking techniques. Finally a book that does not just show how to use the exploits but how to develop them." --Phrack

"I highly recommend this book. It is written by someone who knows of what he speaks, with usable code, tools and examples." --IEEE Cipher

"I would consider this the seminal hackers handbook." --Security Forums.com

"I recommend this book for the programming section alone." --Unix Review

For a review copy or more information please email [email protected]. Please include your delivery address and contact information.

About the Author
Jon Erickson has a formal education in computer science and has been hacking and programming since he was five years old. He speaks at computer security conferences and trains security teams around the world. Currently, he works as a vulnerability researcher and security specialist in Northern California.

Additional Resources:

Table of contents overview - http://www.nostarch.com/hacking2_toc.htm
Detailed table of contents (PDF) - http://www.tinker.tv/download/hacking2e_toc.pdf
Index (PDF) - http://www.tinker.tv/download/hacking2_index.pdf
Excerpt (PDF) - http://www.tinker.tv/download/hacking2_sample.pdf
Large cover image - http://www.tinker.tv/download/hacking2_big.htm

"Hacking: The Art of Exploitation," 2nd Edition
Jon Erickson
ISBN 9781593271442, 488 pages, $49.95 USD
[email protected]
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000

Available in fine bookstores everywhere, from www.oreilly.com/nostarch, or directly from No Starch Press (www.nostarch.com, [email protected], 1-800-420-7240).

About No Starch Press
Founded in 1994, No Starch Press is one of the few remaining independent computer book publishers. We publish the finest in geek entertainment�unique books on technology, with a focus on Open Source, security, hacking, programming, alternative operating systems, and LEGO. Our titles have personality, our authors are passionate, and our books tackle topics that people care about. See www.nostarch.com for more information and our complete online catalog. (And most No Starch Press books use RepKover, a lay-flat binding that won�t snap shut.)

About O’Reilly

O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

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