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The Hacker and the State: Cyber Attacks and the New Normal of Geopolitics Hardcover – February 25, 2020

by Ben Buchanan (Author)

4.5 341 ratings

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An Open Letters Review Best Book of the Year

“One of the finest books on information security published so far in this century―easily accessible, tightly argued, superbly well-sourced, intimidatingly perceptive.”
―Thomas Rid, author of Active Measures

“The best examination I have read of how increasingly dramatic developments in cyberspace are defining the ‘new normal’ of geopolitics in the digital age. Buchanan…captures the dynamics of all of this truly brilliantly.”
―General David Petraeus, former Director of the CIA and Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan

Few national-security threats are as potent―or as nebulous―as cyber attacks. Ben Buchanan reveals how hackers are transforming spycraft and statecraft, catching us all in the crossfire, whether we know it or not.

Ever since WarGames, we have been bracing for the cyberwar to come, conjuring images of exploding power plants and mass panic. But while cyber attacks are now disturbingly common, they don’t look anything like we thought they would.

Packed with insider information based on interviews, declassified files, and forensic analysis of company reports, The Hacker and the State sets aside fantasies of cyber-annihilation to explore the real geopolitical competition of the digital age. Tracing the conflict of wills and interests among modern nations, Ben Buchanan reveals little-known details of how China, Russia, North Korea, Britain, and the United States hack one another in a relentless struggle for dominance. His analysis moves deftly from underseas cable taps to underground nuclear sabotage, from blackouts and data breaches to billion-dollar heists and election interference.

Buchanan brings to life this continuous cycle of espionage and deception, attack and counterattack, destabilization and retaliation. He explains why cyber attacks are far less destructive than we anticipated, far more pervasive, and much harder to prevent. With little fanfare and far less scrutiny, they impact our banks, our tech and health systems, our democracy, and every aspect of our lives. Quietly, insidiously, they have reshaped our national-security priorities and transformed spycraft and statecraft. The contest for geopolitical advantage has moved into cyberspace. The United States and its allies can no longer dominate the way they once did. The nation that hacks best will triumph.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The Hacker and the State is one of the finest books on information security published so far in this century―easily accessible, tightly argued, superbly well-sourced, intimidatingly perceptive.”―Thomas Rid, author of Active Measures

“This is a great book and the best examination I have read of how increasingly dramatic developments in cyberspace are defining the ‘new normal’ of geopolitics in the digital age. No book I've read does a better job of describing what has transpired in recent years as state and non-state actors have developed ever more diabolically powerful and clever cyber capabilities. Ben Buchanan makes it clear that the future lies not just in Asia, but also in cyberspace, and he captures the dynamics of all of this truly brilliantly.”―General David Petraeus, former Director of the CIA and Commander of Coalition Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan

“A helpful reminder…of the sheer diligence and seriousness of purpose exhibited by the Russians in their mission…Information warfare is designed to bamboozle, but its digital variant can be especially baffling to the nonspecialist.”―Jonathan Freedland, New York Review of Books

“A substantial and measured history of cyberattacks in recent decades…Despite the growing ubiquity of cyberattacks, Buchanan also highlights their limits as a means of coercion or as a way of sending a message.”―Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs

“Demonstrates how this field has evolved from espionage operations and a field dominated by the United States to cyber-attacks that have broader implications for economies and societies…An excellent primer for understanding how cyber operations have become an indelible part of global relations and ably demonstrates how hacking has ‘earned its place in the playbook of statecraft.’”―Angus Parker, Geographical

“With an academic’s eye, Buchanan compares and contrasts the emerging tactics [of digital competition] with the traditional ways of military conflict, nuclear competition, and espionage to make some sense of the new age. The book dissects how governments use cyberattacks to fundamentally ‘change the state of play.’”―Patrick Howell O'Neill, MIT Technology Review

“Probes deep into cyber security, the truths and myths about cyber security, and how society, corporations, and individuals pay particularly close attention to it in today’s everchanging world…Allows the reader to understand the real geopolitical competition of the digital age as it applies to business and government agencies.”―Kevin Cassidy, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books

“If you believe that cyber attacks are now critical to understand today’s International Relations, stop doing everything you are doing and start reading Ben Buchanan’s new book…Makes clear how we need to pay attention to the distinctiveness of cyber attacks and the strategic logics behind them…An incredibly informed examination of the cyber attacks that have taken place in recent decades.”―Antonio Calcara, E-International Relations

“Buchanan is well-placed to detail the history and evolution of this new and oft-misunderstood form of warfare…This book argues that states must learn to read the signaling implied by a cyber-attack, in the same way that they would a military exercise along their border.”―Lewis Tallon, Encyclopedia Geopolitica

“Provides a reliable summary and deep analysis of a novel force bound to shape world affairs.”―Walter Clemens, New York Journal of Books

“This is a must-read book. Factual and perceptive, it reveals important truths about cyberthreats and the role they play in international relations.”―Vint Cerf, Internet pioneer

“This is a gripping book about today’s cyber threat landscape. Through riveting stories of move and counter-move among global adversaries, Buchanan explains why we are in a constant state of cyber conflict―where the stakes couldn’t be higher. From China’s attacks on our companies to Russia’s attacks on our elections, The Hacker and the State is indispensable reading for anyone who cares about our security, our prosperity, and our democracy.”―Lisa Monaco, former White House Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor and Deputy National Security Advisor

“More than any other book, The Hacker and the State shows how and why governments hack one another. Having lived and worked in this shadowy world for many years, I came to appreciate its fascinating nuances, fierce competition, and strategic significance. If you read this book, you will, too. Buchanan shares digital spy stories and distills geopolitical insights that you just won’t find anywhere else. Remarkably, he has made his detailed insight accessible to a non-technical audience without any loss of fidelity in the underlying narrative.”―Former senior intelligence officer, UK government

“The Hacker and the State fundamentally changes the way we think about cyber operations from ‘war’ to something of significant import that is not war―what Buchanan refers to as ‘real geopolitical competition.’ He writes in a highly accessible manner, with in-depth stories that will engage the non-specialist.”―Richard Harknett, former Scholar-in-Residence at United States Cyber Command

“A great read, packed with insider information and great stories. But the book also makes an important argument about how cyberattacks are transforming the geopolitical playing field, changing our defense priorities and forcing us to rewrite our national security policies.”―Bruce Schneier, author of Click Here to Kill Everybody: Security and Survival in a Hyper-connected World

“Highly intelligent, important, and timely. Buchanan’s chronology of cases, from early espionage to devastating operations like NotPetya, makes for a great read.”―Joseph Nye, author of Do Morals Matter?

About the Author

Ben Buchanan teaches at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, where he is a Senior Faculty Fellow at the Center for Security and Emerging Technology. He is the author of The Cybersecurity Dilemma and a regular contributor to the websites Lawfare and War on the Rocks. He was previously a fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harvard University Press; 1st edition (February 25, 2020)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0674987551
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0674987555
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 1 year and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.3 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.25 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #323,505 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #192 in Computer Hacking
- #357 in National & International Security (Books)
- #458 in Political Intelligence

Customer Reviews:
4.5 341 ratings

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Ben Buchanan

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Ben Buchanan is on leave from his professorship at Georgetown University to serve in the White House, where he works on AI, cybersecurity, and international affairs. He is the author of three books, The New Fire (MIT Press, 2022), The Hacker and the State (Harvard University Press, 2020) and The Cybersecurity Dilemma (Oxford University Press, 2017). He was also the Senior Faculty Fellow and Director of the CyberAI Project at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, a five-year, $65 million effort to study AI and international affairs. Ben received his PhD in War Studies from King’s College London, where he was a Marshall Scholar. He earned masters and undergraduate degrees from Georgetown University.

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They appreciate the fast-paced, scary narrative that covers cybersecurity topics like hacking, surveillance, and warfare. Readers describe the book as a primer that provides an overview of the cybersecurity landscape and history of state hacking.

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Readability Cybersecurity Pacing

10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They appreciate the well-written content and the clear presentation of cyberattacks in history. The book provides a good non-technical explanation of the global hacking paradigm. Overall, readers find it an intellectual and enjoyable learning experience on a topic few understand well.

"...I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a highly readable book that will make you far smarter on all things cybersecurity." Read more

"...It was a great learning experience how countries that have built the foundation of technologies (Telegraph, fiber optics, Internet equipment etc)..." Read more

"...It really tells the full story of some of the major events that have happened over the last few years." Read more

"...Highly intellectual and easy to follow. This read will force you to think and provoke a fire inside you that you haven’t felt in a long time." Read more

4 customers mention "Cybersecurity"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides a good introduction to cybersecurity, including hacking, surveillance, and cyber warfare. It offers a comprehensive overview of the landscape with detailed explanations. Readers appreciate the historical perspective on state-sponsored hacking. The author correctly notes that cybersecurity is a silent warrior, just as destructive as physical attacks.

"...looking for a highly readable book that will make you far smarter on all things cybersecurity." Read more

"...He is correct that hacking is a silent warrior but equally destructive as physical...." Read more

"This book is a primer that will somewhat get you up to speed on cyber hacking, cyber surveillance, cyber attacks, even cyber warfare...." Read more

"Great history of State hacking..." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's fast pacing. They find it hard to put down and say it's hard to read in 3 days. However, some readers feel that the book starts well but then shifts into a left-wing rant midway.

"...I enjoyed this very much and read in 3 days - hard to put down!..." Read more

"Well written, fast paced, scary." Read more

"This book starts ok, then midway it pivots into a left wing rant about the 2016 election . This book was a total waste of time and money." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

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Matt Sheehan
Great survey of cybersecurity landscape with colorful deep dives
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2020
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I've been looking for a book that would give me a solid grounding in the fundamental issues in cybersecurity today, and I found it in The Hacker and The State. The book effectively takes the barrage of confusing headlines about all manner of hacking, and gives a clear taxonomy of the different types and their impacts. It manages to strike a good balance of using colorful anecdotes and storytelling to convey complex technical and geopolitical realities.

I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a highly readable book that will make you far smarter on all things cybersecurity.

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Zaheer Aziz
Good Learning of global hacking paradigm
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2021
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Buckanan has provided a very good non-techy description of the global hacking paradigm. Just like physical borders need protection from invaders, virtual borders must be equally protected. He is correct that hacking is a silent warrior but equally destructive as physical. It was a great learning experience how countries that have built the foundation of technologies (Telegraph, fiber optics, Internet equipment etc) and own the infrastructure have significant advantage over lagers but at the same time they are more susceptible to cyber warfares as well. For Techy readers, the book does itch you to go and explore more details, nonetheless, I would still give it high stars

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2 people found this helpful

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Timothy Wilder
great read
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2021
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If you are studying geo-politics, hacking, or just reading non-fiction, I highly recommend this. It really tells the full story of some of the major events that have happened over the last few years.

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Scott Curtis
Great history of State hacking
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2020
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This book puts it all together in one place. I enjoyed this very much and read in 3 days - hard to put down!

The new wars that are ongoing 7x24 and all business's are part of this war.

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conte
Amazing breakdown of some of the most influential cyberattacks in history. This is a must read!
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2020
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This book broke down the key points of the most significant cyber attacks in history. Highly intellectual and easy to follow. This read will force you to think and provoke a fire inside you that you haven’t felt in a long time.

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2 people found this helpful

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Thomas Tansey
An eye opener and primer
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2020
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This book is a primer that will somewhat get you up to speed on cyber hacking, cyber surveillance, cyber attacks, even cyber warfare. From Russian cyber assaults on Estonia and Georgia in the formative days of cyber warfare, onward to North Korean revenge hacking and exposure of Sony personal data and early release of movies for all to see for free. United States and Israel cyber attack, Stuxnet, on Iranian uranium enrichment centrifuges. Ransomeware cyber robberies. Chinese stealing our commetcial, industrial and military secrets, and some twenty million personal records of U.S. government employees. North Korea going online to hack into and steal hundreds of millions of dollars worth of currency from banks in other nations. On and on. There's not much in this book about the cyber warfare the U.S. is waging against our adversaries, though it's obvious that's constantly going on. And allies cyber snoop on allies, to see what they're up to, what they're not telling us, and to get from them leads to extend our own cyber tentacles. Of course much of what the NSA and our other intelligence and defense organizations are up to aren't known, not even to the author.

And the cyber snoops and warriors play games, give false information, mislead, change tactics. It's a very dynamic situation. And is constantly evolving in technical sophistication and tactical maneuvering. Cyber warfare is as much a part of conventional warfare as submarine warfare is an integral part of naval warfare. What you can't see on the surface can sink you.

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12 people found this helpful

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Jim H.
Outstanding!
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2022
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Well written, fast paced, scary.

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David Cotton
A good read overall
Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2020
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These stories and investigations are now widely known and the presentation was sone fairly well. The newer book that’s out, called SANDWORM, is better in my opinion as it covers details much further into the MeDoc hack and how the Russians disbursed things. This one if good too!

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Zerberus
Stuxnet, NotPetya and the dawn of a new age.
Reviewed in Germany on January 15, 2021
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First and foremost: you don't have to be well educated on IT to understand the book and it's message!
To the book itself: well written and researched just as expected. It explains the place of hackers and all the other IT-related figures and techniques in the global powerhouse that is Geopolitics. How do you use a hacker, what are the useful for and what not? What are the differences and problems? Answers to all of these questions are in the book.
It touches all of the big happenings of the last year's and explains what/how/who/why.

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Paul Branley
Great insight into the evolution of cyber statecraft over the past 20 years
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 19, 2020
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An excellent well written account of the major nation state cyber attacks over the past two decades, and how the tactics and ambitions are changing and growing. This is the kind of material that all cybersecurity professionals should know - as it adds context to today's threat, and there is much to be learned from the relatively short history of cyber espionage, cyber attacks and cyber disinformation.

My only disappointment was that the conclusion did not quite carry the high impact finish and knockout summation I was hoping for, but I wonder if that's partly due to the sobering fact that so much more is yet to come in the next few years.

Great book. Great insights. Scary prospects.

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R. S. Boyce
The Hacker and the State: Cyber Attacks and the New Normal of Geopolitics
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2022
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Quite interesting and informative

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Mark
Very good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2021
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Very good

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The Hacker and the State: Cyber Attacks and the New Normal of Geopolitics Hardcover – February 25, 2020

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5.0 out of 5 stars Stuxnet, NotPetya and the dawn of a new age.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great insight into the evolution of cyber statecraft over the past 20 years

4.0 out of 5 stars The Hacker and the State: Cyber Attacks and the New Normal of Geopolitics

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good

Stuxnet, NotPetya and the dawn of a new age.

Great insight into the evolution of cyber statecraft over the past 20 years

The Hacker and the State: Cyber Attacks and the New Normal of Geopolitics

Very good