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17 Best Network Security Books

We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 17 best network security books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.

Goal: Find the best Network Security books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).

Method:

  1. Search for "best network security books" and study the top 5+ pages.
  2. Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
  3. Rank the results neatly here.

17 Best Network Security Books

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1

Hacking

The Art of Exploitation

by Jon Erickson
2

Practical Malware Analysis

The Hands-On Guide to Dissecting Malicious Software

by Michael Sikorski
3

Ghost in the Wires

My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker

by Kevin Mitnick

Also recommended by:

Thomas Frank

4

Advanced Penetration Testing

Hacking the World's Most Secure Networks

by Wil Allsopp
5

Applied Network Security Monitoring

Collection, Detection, and Analysis

by Chris Sanders
6

Black Hat Python

Python Programming for Hackers and Pentesters

by Justin Seitz
7

Cryptography and Network Security

Principles and Practice

by William Stallings
8

Defensive Security Handbook

Best Practices for Securing Infrastructure

by Lee Brotherston
9

Gray Hat Hacking

The Ethical Hacker's Handbook

by Allen Harper
10

Hacking Exposed 7

Network Security Secrets and Solutions

by Stuart McClure
11

Metasploit

The Penetration Tester's Guide

by David Kennedy
12

Network Security Assessment

Know Your Network

by Chris McNab
13

Social Engineering

The Science of Human Hacking

by Christopher Hadnagy
14

The Code Book

The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography

by Simon Singh
15

The Hacker Playbook 3

Practical Guide To Penetration Testing

by Peter Kim
16

The Hardware Hacker

Adventures in Making and Breaking Hardware

by Andrew Bunnie Huang
17

The Web Application Hacker's Handbook

Finding and Exploiting Security Flaws

by Dafydd Stuttard

Sources

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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17 Best Network Security Books (2026)