Review by Ryan Linn, CISSP, MCSE, GPEN

“Ninja Hacking,” the new book by Thomas Wilhelm and Jason Andress, is not a typical book about hacking and penetration testing. Experienced penetration testers who want to learn cutting-edge penetration techniques will find few references to little-known penetration tools or techniques presented in bland technical format. The book doesn’t rely on pun-filled humor, either.

Ninja Hacking is targeted at individuals who have an interest in the warriors of feudal Japan and want a serious philosophical exploration on how those warrior’s techniques map into modern cyber-warfare. For penetration testers who want to know how to be Ninjas, Ninja Hacking creates a framework for becoming a feudal Japanese warrior in cyberspace.  Each chapter discusses a new piece of the puzzle, and, while you won’t achieve mastery from this book alone, the building blocks are laid that should allow an inspired reader to know what additional areas need to be researched.

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