Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War

Quite interesting and thought provoking.

This book is interested for the sheer amount of revelations it contains, and also based on the way it delves into the machinations of the NSA, CIA and relationship of intelligence in general to society and the government. This could only be achieved by the access and insight that the writer was able to achieve and for that alone, the effort should be applauded.In some ways I did come away with the feeling that cyber intelligence is a bit of a zero sums game, and that the more we innovate via technology the more vulnerable we can become as a society at large. Furthermore, if prevention is only achievable through pro-active infiltration it seems as though the only winners turn out to be those who "exploit" best.

A diligent but sometimes dry walk through the history of US cyber defense. Focus is squarely on the top politicians, commanders and officials involved, meaning that for most of the book the reader is trapped in the minutiae of different departments and budgets and white papers. The story comes alive at the end with Stuxnet and Snowden but only makes you wish more time had been spent in the trenches than in the corridors of power.

Excellent

This is a great book for anyone who wants an understanding of cyber warfare, including the history and key characters. Fred Kaplan writes a top introduction into a world which only know the general public is getting greater appreciation for. The book deals with how the then-President Ronald Reagan asks whether a WarGames scenario is possible in the US (for those who do not remember, WarGames was a 1983 movie where kids hack into a computer system and nearly start WW3 thinking they are playing a game.) From that question comes the deluge as people try to grapple with cyber and its implications.The book is very well written and engaging. I can guarantee you that you won't lose track at any time.Fred Kaplan does not go into more technical detail but this book is not about the pure technicalities but rather the history and scope of cyber warfare. If you want to read a book about how to hack, this is not it, but if you want a book to better open your mind up to this new warfare then you better buy it and begin to read!

Cyber war can affect us all. We all have surely heard about hackers who run wild, breaking into computer systems, releasing data hither and tither in what they claim is a “good” act, as well as those who have more criminal intent such as stealing trade secrets, saucy photographs and deleting cherished family data. What less people know about it how governments are fighting governments by computer and that a major war between powerful countries may break out one day because of this.The author takes the reader on an informative, knowledgeable and hype-free tour of cyber warfare, hacking and government activity, considering how many government officials are working to defend, attack, support and frustrate activities – it all depends on whose side you are and who the target is… Cyber warfare is not new, it has been used in many conflicts already and it will definitely be forming a major part of future wars.Unique behind-the-scenes access has been secured by the author to tell things from the U.S. side, examining how they are ready to protect the country against foreign cyber foes. Of course, don’t be naïve, and assume the U.S. doesn’t have its own cyber hacking resources to deploy, as required. It is just not something spoken about. There’s no “101st seated cyber-hacking squadron” yet… you have to dig a little deeper…Of course, it is not just governments and their various departments that are under threat from cyber warfare. Intelligence gathering and mores can be carried out against banks, corporations, key infrastructure, transport providers and even hospitals. If the gathered intelligence can’t help the country, maybe paralysing and destroying its resources one day will suffice and thus this is held in reserve as a tactic.We live in an ever-connected world. Despite having defences we can be very vulnerable. Anything that might destroy or derail key infrastructure such as electricity generation, water delivery and even food delivery for a week or two would create major problems. Instead of a certain rogue country dropping bombs on the United States, destroying key infrastructure and disrupting everyday life can be done from thousands of miles away by a relatively small group. A determined, smaller country can, in theory, give Uncle Sam or any other top-tier country a bloody nose. Asymmetrical warfare indeed. Remember, if state-sponsored agencies can create this mayhem, a group of bored but annoyed hackers with bad intentions could equally do the same.The book paints a worrying picture of what can happen, but it is not scaremongering for scaremongering’s sake. Neither is it slavishly flying the flag for the U.S., claiming that it can do no wrong. Instead the author gives a great, balanced and engaging read. You want him to be wrong, desperately so, yet you know it is not to be. It may be a question of when, rather than if, the balloon really goes up one day…