Practical Hacking Techniques and Countermeasures examines computer security from the hacker's perspective, demonstrating how a computer system can be successfully attacked and compromised. This book shows how an attack is conceptualized, formulated and performed. With the VMwareR Workstation software package available on the accompanying CD, it uses virtual computers to illustrate how an attack is executed, including the script, compilation, and results. It offers examples of attacks on Windows and Linux. It also covers such topics as footprinting, scanning, sniffing, passwords, and other attack tools. This text provides valuable information for constructing a system to defend against attacks.