The Perfect Weapon: war, sabotage, and fear in the cyber age

From Russia’s tampering with the US election to the WannaCry hack that temporarily crippled the NHS, cyber has become the weapon of choice for democracies, dictators, and terrorists. Cheap to acquire, easily deniable, and used for a variety of malicious purposes — from crippling infrastructure to sowing discord and doubt — cyberweapons are re-writing the rules of warfare. In less than a decade, they have displaced terrorism and nuclear missiles as the biggest immediate threat to international security and to democracy. Here, New York Times correspondent David E. Sanger takes us from the White House Situation Room to the dens of Chinese government hackers and the boardrooms of Silicon Valley, piecing together a remarkable picture of a world now coming face-to-face with the most sophisticated — and arguably most dangerous — weapon ever invented. The Perfect Weapon is the dramatic story of a new era of constant sabotage, misinformation, and fear, in which everyone is a target.

About the Author :
David E. Sanger is national security correspondent for The New York Times and the bestselling author of The Inheritance, Confront and Conceal, and The Perfect Weapon. He has been a member of three teams that won the Pulitzer Prize, including in 2017 for international reporting. A regular contributor to CNN, he also teaches national security policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Review :
‘This encyclopedic account by a Times correspondent traces the rapid rise of cyberwarfare capabilities and warns that ideas about how to control them are only beginning to emerge.’ ‘[Sanger] writes with persuasiveness and authority.’ ‘In a chilling new book, The Perfect Weapon, David Sanger details how more than 30 nations have developed effective cyber forces.’ ‘An encyclopedic account of policy-relevant happenings in the cyberworld … the most comprehensive, readable source of information and insight about the policy quandaries that modern information technology and its destructive potential have spawned.’ ‘[The Perfect Weapon is] an important – and deeply sobering – new book about cyberwarfare.’ ‘A reader finishes this book fully understanding why cyberwar has moved rapidly to the top of America’s official list of national security threats.’ ‘In his new book, The Perfect Weapon, Sanger offers a panoramic view of the rapidly evolving world of cyber-conflict. He covers incidents from the covert U.S. cyber-campaign to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program (a story we know about largely because of Sanger’s diligent reporting) to Edward Snowden’s epic heist of National Security Agency data. And yes, there’s also plenty of background on Russia’s active measures during the 2016 campaign. But there’s also a wealth of gripping material on stories that have probably been missed by the broader public … It all adds up to a persuasive argument for the truth of the book’s title.’ ‘Anyone who doubts cyber’s unintended consequences should read David Sanger’s new book The Perfect Weapon. Sanger, a reporter for The New York Times, has been a dogged and diligent observer of cybersecurity issues for years. His book is a readable account of what went wrong.’ ‘Computer and cyber warfare is a burgeoning mode of conflict that poses serious threats to the United States, Pulitzer-winning New York Times correspondent Sanger (Confront and Conceal) argues in this perhaps overly worried investigation. Sanger gives a lucid account of national programs for digital espionage and warfare, but it’s not always clear that the various technologies described hold much danger; for example, he doesn’t make a strong case that Russian spoofing of social media accounts really undermines American democracy. Readers could use a more thorough exploration of the limitations of supposedly perfect digital weapons.’ ‘You may not have realised it but we are at war. A world war. And it’s not clear who’s winning or who will ultimately win, but the battleground is vast — cyberspace … David E. Sanger sums up where we are and where we could be heading.’ ‘[A] sobering new book.’ ‘The book’s greatest strength is in how Sanger captures the complexities of cyber weapons and cyber operations to illustrate the internal dynamics of the Obama administration as it grappled with these emerging capabilities … Where he falls a bit short is on the other side of the equation, where those principles fell somewhat short. Apple for all of its stances on privacy and protecting consumer information bent over backwards to accommodate the Chinese government … It is well reported, well sourced, and his access provides insights into what many of the key players were thinking at the time and in the years since their tenure ended … For lay readers, The Perfect Weapon is a great one-volume precis on recent cyber war.’ ‘The Perfect Weapon may be one of the most important, if chilling, books you’ll read this year.’ ‘Sanger, The New York Times’ security correspondent, has catalogued the recent history of cyber warfare, how it needs to be confronted and the intensely complex policy issues that arise. This is the last word in the modern world of cyber warfare – until artificial intelligence takes over.’ ‘Sanger, The New York Times’ security correspondent, has catalogued the recent history of how cyber warfare has developed, how it needs to be confronted, and the intensely complex policy issues that arise.’ ‘The greatest virtue of Sanger’s writing is that it is clear-headed and morally grounded, not in any way breathless or apocalyptic.’ ‘For the rest of the lay public, this very accessible book by New York Times journalist David Sanger is an outstanding volume to fill in the gaps.’ Praise for The Inheritance: ‘[Sanger is] a shrewd and insightful strategic thinker.’