Reviews for Essential PHP Security

1. Security advice that is useful for non-PHP programers too

   Rated 4 out of 5 stars, October 12th, 2009

   I've found this book useful because it explained to me how certain vulnerabilities can arise. That is handy to know whatever language you are writing in. The solutions the author suggests can also be employed outside of PHP.
   
   I agree with most of the comments of the other reviewers so I won't bore you by repeating them.
   
   It may only be 100 pages but it's well worth the price if you need educating about web security.
   
   

2. A bit too simple for my needs

   Rated 3 out of 5 stars, July 12st, 2009

   It does contain simple ways to make your websites more secure, but nothing too tricky.
   
   I was a bit disappointed with this book. BUT it is a good book to read for beginners.

3. Great introduction to PHP security

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, May 12th, 2008

   Great advice, very small compact book, clearly written.
   
   This book makes light work of a complex topic but does not go into great depth. A lot of the recommendations are common sense (use SSL for password transmission), filter input.
   
   As the title suggest, this are "essential" or "basic" security techniques, a must read for any new developer / a great starting point for anyone wishing to learn about PHP security.
   
   

4. Absolutely Essential

   Rated 5 out of 5 stars, December 12th, 2007

   If you've done a bit of PHP programming, or have used any other online scripting languages, but have never considered the security implications, this book is essential. The threats are jaw-droppingly simple, but so are their fixes, and the principles remain for other technologies too. The techniques will also improve the integrity of your data and ensure that you consider security in the design process of your applications.
   
   The book is lean and quick to read, the content is aimed at reasonably knowledgeable programmers, but there is nothing here that can't be easily researched. All the issues are illustrated with short, relevant examples and code, which makes a change from most programming books. The author also maintains his own website to ensure that readers can remain updated on problems for the foreseeable future. Overall, this is essential stuff and great value.

5. Very informative, best practices

   Rated 4 out of 5 stars, February 12th, 2007

   This book is very good, and absolutely recommandable.
   
   The book is not very big (~100 pages) and can be read quite fast. It's also an easy read, as the language in the book is not hard as some other technical books might be. The explanations are good, and easy to understand, as well as the reasoning.
   
   I enjoyed this book, and it's a great reference. It's size also allows you to read it again (And that's a great idea - Helps you to remember) to get the most out of the book.
   
   The author knows what he talks about, and his advice really makes sense. You might already be aware of some of the concepts, such as filtering input etc, but Chris explains really well the ideas behind such concepts, and gives great examples of what can go wrong if you fail to follow the simple principles given.
   
   All in all, this is a great book that really helps you, by teaching you best practices from a very experienced web-developer.
   
   And the book is really great as a reference.