“The hacking community is fraught with Eastern military comparisons. Like the ninja, we are continuing to come out of the shadows of our communal origins and grow into respected members of a larger society. As our industry matures, it demands more formal education, strict regulations and an adherence to a code of ethics. Therefore it becomes increasingly difficult to incorporate the culture of the unconventional warrior into our new world. Enter Wilhelm and Andress, who make it safe to show off your fu again. By the end of this book, the security professional is given the philosophical foundation along with a practical framework from which to leverage the way of the ninja. What could be cooler?”–Overall, Ninja Hacking has excellent relevant material and a significant amount of Ninja lore and history. While this book is not a technical reference, it is an excellent choice for someone who has an interest in Ninjas or someone who is looking for inspiration to think differently about penetration testing and security concepts. The mappings for traditional Ninja skills to the skills of today are mostly well-coupled and are always relevant to how the leaders in the field are addressing security today.”—-Donald C. Donzal, Editor-in-Chief, The Ethical Hacker Network
“When they put “unconventional” in the title, the authors weren’t exaggerating. Perhaps the most unusual book written on computer security, this volume centers around detailed descriptions of the ethics, mindset, and tactics used in the Japanese martial arts commonly called ninja. The history of ninja fighting arts and the samurai warriors who practiced them are described in the first chapter. Each subsequent chapter presents specific ninja tactics, including intelligence, use of weapons, surveillance, and sabotage, then applies them to effective computer security management. Both authors are computer security specialists. The book also benefits from a Ninjutsu consultant, Bryan R. Garner, and a technical editor, Joshua Abraham.”–SciTechBookNews
“With the good blend of historical techniques and its modern day application there is something in here for everyone.”–Hakin9
“Be in no doubt, credibility is high for this book..All in all, while the writing style is light, the content is, for lack of a better term, meaty. This is definitely not recommended as an entry level book, but it is an excellent resource for penetration testers and those thinking of commissioning pen tests on their systems.”–Paul Baccas, NakedSecurity.com, Oct. 25, 2011,
From the Back Cover
Ever thought of using the time-tested tactics and techniques of the ancient ninja to understand the mind of today’s ninja, the hacker? Penetration testers and security consultants perform tests both externally and internally for clients that include both physical and technical tests. Throw traditional pen testing methods out the window for now, and see how thinking and acting like a ninja could actually grant you quicker and more complete access to a company’s assets. Get in before the hacker does with these unorthodox techniques — using all of the tools that the ninja has: disguise, espionage, stealth, and concealment. Learn how to benefit from these tools by laying your plans, impersonating employees, infiltrating via alarm system evasion, discovering weak points and timing, spyware and keylogging software, and log manipulation and logic bombs. And, really, don’t you want to be a ninja for a day just because they’re cool? Let this book be your excuse!
About the Author
Thomas Wilhelm has been involved in Information Security since 1990, where he served in the U.S. Army for 8 years as a Signals Intelligence Analyst, Russian Linguist, and a Cryptanalyst. His expertise in the field of Information Security has led him to speak at prominent security conferences across the United States, including DefCon, HOPE, and CSI.
Thomas has contributed significantly to the field of professional penetration testing and information security. In his capacity as both a practice director and a managing director, he has played a pivotal role in executing offensive and defensive security initiatives for Fortune 100 companies and leading research and tool development that has influenced the security industry. Presently, he serves as a managing director at Redstone Securities and possesses master’s degrees in both Computer Science and Management.
His influence also extends to education where he formerly held the position of Associate Professor at Colorado Technical University. Thomas has also written various publications, including magazines and books. Through Pentest.TV, he continues to provide advanced security training and has obtained numerous certifications over the years, including the ISSMP, CISSP, CCNP Security, AWS Cloud Solutions Architect, AWS Cloud Security Specialist, and multiple Solaris certifications as well.
Jason Andress (CISSP, ISSAP, CISM, GPEN) is a seasoned security professional with a depth of experience in both the academic and business worlds. Presently he carries out information security oversight duties, performing penetration testing, risk assessment, and compliance functions to ensure that critical assets are protected. Jason has taught undergraduate and graduate security courses since 2005 and holds a doctorate in computer science, researching in the area of data protection. He has authored several publications and books, writing on topics including data security, network security, penetration testing, and digital forensics.