Cross-references between items are inconsistent at best. The carelessness in references and terms extends to capitalization, as well. Acronyms are generally printed with all capital letters. However, on occasion you will find mixed case entries, seemingly for no reason. Figures are no better than in most illustrated technical works, and in many cases are worse.
Security is a very weak area.
Unfortunately, the difference is that hackers break into computers for the thrill of it, and crackers do it for money. Even with all its flaws, this book could still be a useful, if not terribly reliable, reference. A number of other, better options exist. As usual, the author has seen the draft of this review, and been given a chance to comment. He has requested that the following response be included, unedited, in its entirety.