Foundations of Mac OS X Leopard Security

Foundations of Mac OS X Leopard Security is written in part as a companion to the SANS Institute course for Mac OS X. It contains detailed Mac OS X security information, but also walkthroughs on securing systems. By using the SANS Institute course as a sister to the book, the focus includes both the beginning home user and the seasoned security professional not accustomed to the Mac, and allows this title to establish the “best practices” for Mac OS X for a wide audience. Additionally, the authors of the book are seasoned Mac and security professionals, having built many of the largest network infrastructures for Apple and spoken at both DefCon and Black Hat on OS X security.

What you’ll learn

• Security overview
• Walkthroughs to secure systems
• Walkthroughs and suggestions for third–party applications on systems
• Mac forensics
• Mac hacking
• Apple wireless security
• Mac OS X security

A wide audience of users, power users, and administrators who wish to make sure their Mac platform is secure.

A common misconception in the Mac community is that the Mac is more secure than other operating systems. While this might be true in many cases, the fact that people actually use the computers is often not considered in this analysis. When sharing is enabled or remote control applications are installed, then a variety of security threats are established. This book enables users of the Mac to enable services while not sacrificing the security of their systems.

Charles Edge has been working with Apple products since he was a child. Professionally, Charles started with the Mac OS and Apple server offerings in1999 after years working with various flavors of Unix. Charles began his consulting career working with Support Technologies and Andersen Consulting. In 2000, he found a new home at 318, a consulting firm in Santa Monica, California which is now the largest Mac consultancy in the country. At 318, Charles leads a team of over 40 engineers and has worked with network architecture, security and storage for various vertical and horizontal markets. Charles has spoken at a variety of conferences including DefCon, BlackHat, LinuxWorld, MacWorld and the WorldWide Developers Conference. Charles' first book, Mac Tiger Server Little Black Book, can be purchased through Paraglyph Press. Charles recently hung up his surfboard and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife, Lisa. Charles can be contacted at [email protected]

William Barker is a technical consultant at 318 and a freelance writer. He has a penchant for all things Web 2.0 related and is eagerly anticipating the day that he can wash his dishes and take out the trash online. His website, techiestravel.com, is a hobbie haven for two of his passions, technology and travel. He also wears a musician hat from time to time, making music: as a DJ, playing guitar, playing piano and mixing CD's for friends. He lives in Venice, California with his trusty automobile, Lucille.

Zack Smith has been working as an IT consultant his entire adult life. He has consulted for insurance companies, entertainment companies, medical organizations, and governmental agencies. Zack holds an Apple Certified Trainer position where has taught at Apple and various market centers in Boston, Virginia, Los Angeles, and Cupertino. As a certified instructor, Zack has taught Apple's Security Best Practices Class, as well as many of the other Apple Certified System Administrator level classes (such as Mac OS X Deployment and Mac OS X Directory Services). Zack has been a speaker at MacWorld San Francisco as well as many other smaller venues such as IT user groups. Zack is also the author of a set of open-source IT administration software and scripts and has long term plans of being a full time Objective C developer. When not attending IT & Security conferences or traveling for work at 318, Zack can be found in Portland Oregon with his partner in crime Anna, and dog, Watson.