Beyond Fear - Thinking Sensibly About Security in an Uncertain World (Hardcover, 1st ed. 2003. Corr. 2nd printing 2006)

Why must we design security systems that work and fail well? Why are national ID cards a technically unsound, even dangerous idea? Why is buying online safe? Why should we definitely NOT invest in biometrics- based scanners for airports? Surprising assessments and advice from a leading security expert.Schneier, the highly regarded author of "Applied Cryptography and Secrets and Lies", turns his iconoclastic mind on the broader issues of security, including the vast infrastructure we already have in place, and the vaster systems -- some useful, others useless or worse -- that we're being asked to submit to and pay for. Rather than heavy-handed proselytizing, Schneier helps the reader to understand the issues at stake, and how to best come to one's own conclusions.