Books Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, 2nd Edition 2nd Edition by Jon Erickson (Author)

"Hacking: The Art of Exploitation, 2nd Edition" by Jon Erickson is a technically deep yet accessible guide to the art and science of hacking. Unlike books that merely offer ready-made exploits, Erickson explains how hacking techniques actually work by teaching fundamental concepts in programming (especially C), memory management, and debugging from a hacker’s perspective.

The book covers a wide range of topics including buffer overflows, code injection, exploiting software vulnerabilities, network communications such as packet sniffing and TCP hijacking, and cryptographic weaknesses. It emphasizes hands-on learning with an included LiveCD providing a Linux environment where readers can experiment safely without altering their existing OS.

Key strengths are its clear explanation of complex topics like memory corruption and shellcode, combined with practical exercises for readers to build skills in understanding system internals and creating their own exploits. It also discusses evading security measures like non-executable stacks and intrusion detection systems.