Going far beyond typical computer forensics books, this thoroughly revised edition of an Artech House bestseller is the only book on the market that focuses on how to protect one's privacy from data theft, hostile computer forensics, and legal action. It addresses the concerns of today's IT professionals, as well as many users of personal computers, offering more detailed "how to" guidance on protecting the confidentiality of data stored on computers. Moreover, the second edition has been updated to include specific information on the vulnerabilities of ancillary computing devices, such as PDAs, cellular telephones and smart cards. This cutting-edge book identifies the specific areas where sensitive and potentially incriminating data is hiding in computers and consumer electronics, and explains how to go about removing this data. The book provides a systematic process for installing operating systems and application software that will help to minimize the possibility of security compromises, and numerous specific steps that need to be taken to prevent the hostile exploitation of one's computer