When looking at ethical hacking books, you should typically consider the year in which a book was published, the association it may have with a particular test or organization, and reviews others have given. The year in which a book is published is quite important, since methods used for hacking only a few years ago may no longer be useful. If you are looking to complete a particular test or receive certification from a certain group, then you might look for books published for that purpose. Many sites also provide user reviews of ethical hacking books, which you can use to compare them and see how well they have worked for others.
Ethical hacking books are written to provide information regarding methods for “white hat” or “gray hat” hackers. These individuals often attempt to hack computer systems in order to provide information about how those networks and systems can be better secured. While there are differences between “white hat” and “gray hat” hackers, neither type tend to use information about compromised systems to launch attacks or insert malicious programs onto them.
One consideration you should have while looking for ethical hacking books is the date in which such books were published. Technology tends to change at a remarkable rate, including the development of new operating systems and networking protocols. This means that methods for ethical hacking that worked several years ago are likely to no longer work today. You can consider the date of publication for ethical hacking books to determine how relevant the information is likely to still be.
Certain ethical hacking books are also published or prepared by organizations that help train such hackers, rather than private and knowledgeable individuals. If you are working on certification from a particular group, then you should look for a book published by that group. Many organizations offer books that you can use specifically to help you prepare for a certification exam. These books may not be the best for general knowledge, but can certainly help you prepare for a specific test.
You might also want to look for reviews of different ethical hacking books on various websites, to see how useful other people have found them. These reviews may not necessarily be the definitive exploration of such books, but can provide you with a general sense of what to expect from a certain book. You should also look at the level of experience and knowledge with computers and programming that are expected from someone reading various ethical hacking books. This can help you find a book that matches your previous education and is neither too simple nor too complicated.