Secure Computing for the Younger Set

Today's teenagers and preteens grew up with computers around them, and consequently many of them are far more skilled than their parents in making the machines do their bidding. The teen hacker is legend, and we often take it for granted that the kids are masters of the Internet.

When it comes to security, though, youthful illusions of invulnerability, impatience and recklessness frequently take over. Just as many members of their parents' generation put themselves at risk in the 60s and 70s with their “if it feels good, do it” attitude, many of today's young people put their computers (and the LANs to which they're attached) at risk with their “if it looks good, download it” philosophy.

Now someone has come along and written a book on computer security directed specifically at teens. My own children were teenagers not so long ago (my youngest turns 21 this summer), so I was glad to see that Dan Appleman and Apress Publishing were addressing this relatively neglected topic. The name of the book, Always Use Protection: A Teen's Guide to Safe Computing, might make us fortysomethings cringe a little, but it's just the sort of double meaning that will get the attention of those in the target audience. I haven't had a chance to read the book yet, but the easy, conversational tone of the Introduction (online at http://www.alwaysuseprotection.com/book/intro/Intro.htm) shows promise. I have a copy on the way, and hope to review it here soon.