Top Cybersecurity books curated by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we have connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favouriteCybersecurity books – and here are the answers.

  • Curated by industry experts
  • Proven learning resources
  • Updated annually
Top Cybersecurity books recommended by experts
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Fundamentals of Cybersecurity

Understanding the concepts of Cybersecurity starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

The Cuckoo's Egg

The Cuckoo's Egg

When Cliff Stoll followed the trail of a 75-cent accounting error at his workplace, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, it led him to the presence of an unauthorized user on the system. Suddenly, Stoll found himself crossing paths with a hacker named “Hunter” who had managed to break into…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Enterprise Cybersecurity in Digital Business: Building a Cyber Resilient Organization

Enterprise Cybersecurity in Digital Business: Building a Cyber Resilient Organization

Cyber risk is the highest perceived business risk according to risk managers and corporate insurance experts. Cybersecurity typically is viewed as the boogeyman: it strikes fear into the hearts of non-technical employees. Enterprise Cybersecurity in Digital Business: Building a Cyber Resilient O…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

CISO Desk Reference Guide: A Practical Guide for CISOs Volume 2

CISO Desk Reference Guide: A Practical Guide for CISOs Volume 2

The CISO Desk Reference Guide, Volume 1, 2nd Edition is the greatly-anticipated update to the iconic first volume of the highly-respected two-volume set written by experienced practitioners and intended for recently-hired or promoted Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs). These easy-to-use…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Dark Wire: The Incredible True Story of the Largest Sting Operation Ever

Dark Wire: The Incredible True Story of the Largest Sting Operation Ever

The inside story of the largest law-enforcement sting operation ever, in which the FBI made its own tech start-up to wiretap the world, shows how cunning both the authorities and drug traffickers have become, with privacy implications for everyone.
In 2018, a powerful app for secure communica…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

How Cybersecurity Really Works: A Hands-On Guide for Total Beginners

How Cybersecurity Really Works: A Hands-On Guide for Total Beginners

How Cybersecurity Really Works is an engaging introduction to the field of cybersecurity. You'll learn how attackers operate, as well as how to defend yourself and organizations against online attacks

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Cybersecurity: The Beginner's Guide: A comprehensive guide to getting started in cybersecurity

Cybersecurity: The Beginner's Guide: A comprehensive guide to getting started in cybersecurity

This book put together all the possible information with regards to cybersecurity, why you should choose it, the need for cyber security and how can you be part of it and fill the cybersecurity talent gap bit by bit. Starting with the essential understanding of security and its needs, we will mo…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Additional Cybersecurity Reading

These books are not required for you to learn Cybersecurity, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: A Practitioner's Reference

Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: A Practitioner's Reference

Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: A Practitioner's Reference gives you a blueprint on how to develop effective information security policies and procedures. It uses standards such as NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, and COBIT, and regulations such as HIPAA and PCI DSS as the found…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Network Security Essentials: Applications and Standards

Network Security Essentials: Applications and Standards

Network Securities Essentials: Applications and Standards introduces readers to the critical importance of internet security in our age of universal electronic connectivity. Amidst viruses, hackers, and electronic fraud, organizations and individuals are constantly at risk of having their privat…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, 2nd Edition

Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, 2nd Edition

Hacking is the art of creative problem solving, whether that means finding an unconventional solution to a difficult problem or exploiting holes in sloppy programming. Many people call themselves hackers, but few have the strong technical foundation needed to really push the envelope. Rather tha…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Black Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters

Black Hat Python: Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters

In Black Hat Python, the latest from Justin Seitz (author of the best-selling Gray Hat Python), you'll explore the darker side of Python's capabilities—writing network sniffers, manipulating packets, infecting virtual machines, creating stealthy trojans, and more.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Ghost In The Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker

Ghost In The Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker

Kevin Mitnick was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history. He accessed computers and networks at the world's biggest companies -- and no matter how fast the authorities were, Mitnick was faster, sprinting through phone switches, computer systems, and cellular networks.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Cyber Wars: Hacks that Shocked the Business World

Cyber Wars: Hacks that Shocked the Business World

Cyber Wars gives you the dramatic inside stories of some of the world's biggest cyber attacks. These are the game changing hacks that make organizations around the world tremble and leaders stop and consider just how safe they really are.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Specializations and Deeper Cybersecurity Knowledge

You've got your basics in order – time to move on to some advanced and specialized concepts. Cybersecurity is evolving every day, these books can help you master it.

Cybersecurity Career Master Plan: Proven techniques and effective tips to help you advance in your cybersecurity career

Cybersecurity Career Master Plan: Proven techniques and effective tips to help you advance in your cybersecurity career

Cybersecurity is an emerging career trend and will continue to become increasingly important. Despite the lucrative pay and significant career growth opportunities, many people are unsure of how to get started. This book is designed by leading industry experts to help you enter the world of cybe…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Cert Guide

CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+) Cert Guide

CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CSA+) Cert Guide is a best-of-breed exam study guide. Expert technology instructor and certification author Troy McMillan shares preparation hints and test-taking tips, helping you identify areas of weakness and improve both your conceptual knowledge and hands-on s…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Cybersecurity Incident Management: Master Guide

Cybersecurity Incident Management: Master Guide

Successfully responding to modern cybersecurity threats requires a well-planned, organized, and tested incident management program based on a formal incident management framework. It must be comprised of technical and non-technical requirements and planning for all aspects of people, process, an…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Enterprise Cybersecurity: How to Build a Successful Cyberdefense Program Against Advanced Threats

Enterprise Cybersecurity: How to Build a Successful Cyberdefense Program Against Advanced Threats

Enterprise Cybersecurity empowers organizations of all sizes to defend themselves with next-generation cybersecurity programs against the escalating threat of modern targeted cyberattacks. This book presents a comprehensive framework for managing all aspects of an enterprise cybersecurity progra…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Advanced Penetration Testing: Hacking the World's Most Secure Networks

Advanced Penetration Testing: Hacking the World's Most Secure Networks

Featuring techniques not taught in any certification prep or covered by common defensive scanners, this book integrates social engineering, programming, and vulnerability exploits into a multidisciplinary approach for targeting and compromising high security environments.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

Cybersecurity Career Master Plan: Proven Techniques and Effective Tips to Help You Advance in Your Cybersecurity Career

Cybersecurity Career Master Plan: Proven Techniques and Effective Tips to Help You Advance in Your Cybersecurity Career

The book starts by helping you gain a foundational understanding of cybersecurity, covering cyber law, cyber policy, and frameworks. Next, you'll focus on how to choose the career field best suited to you from options such as security operations, penetration testing, and risk analysis.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise.

This list is curated by MentorCruise and can include Amazon affiliate links. Have any other suggestions? Add here.

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