Released: 2021
Genre: Non-Fiction, Technology, Geopolitics, Society
Number of Pages: 406
Based at The New York Times, Nicole Perlroth is a dedicated and stalwart journalist when it comes to technology. With over seven years of investigating and at least three-hundred interviewees, “This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends” delivers an excellent look at cyber-security and the dangers that hang over our modern society.
With a intriguing title, the Perlroth begins her account in July 2013 with an isolated closet; we are introduced to various key terms like zero-day exploits. Interwoven with key events and political organisations like the NSA and GCHQ, we’re taken through a string of major cyber attacks, identifying key players and greater implications. In the early going, the more interesting elements come from various hacking conferences and events. Nicole often integrates several smaller stories into each chapter, presenting the rise and fall of companies like iDefense.
“This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends” is very US-centric, but the wider conflicts reach a global scale. The tension between governmental and private interests, digital attacks from nations like Iran, Russia and China and political intrusion on social media sites are all included. There are many lines of attack with each being fully explained. Through it all, the author relays all of these incidents with a detailed and intriguing style that pulls you into this secretive world. The actions of leaders and nations all have consequences, particularly with regards to treaties and paying attention to the complex digital scene.
The book works so well through a sense of escalation; we see how cyber weapons, hacking and exploits have evolved. As society has become more connected and digitised, the number of vulnerabilities has also increased. As Perlroth shows, the threat level has risen from a minor annoyance to a devastating series of terror attacks that could cripple a nation’s infrastructure. The chronological structure always keeps the reader up to date and intrigued to find out where these virtual weapons may be heading.
Recommended?
YES: If you haven’t been following the field of cyber warfare and security, Nicole Perlroth’s detailed chronicle will make you take notice. The book is incredibly meticulous and well-researched while also showing the evolution of the sector. This can only come from an author who has surrounded herself with the best contacts and taken the time to delve into the finer details. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone with a passing interest.
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