Battlefield cyber : how China and Russia are undermining our democracy and national security

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Title:

Author:

McLaughlin, Michael G., author.

ISBN:

9781633889019

Personal Author:

McLaughlin, Michael G., author.

Physical Description:

xiv, 285 pages ; 24 cm

General Note:

Source of cataloging data: WCP

Abstract:

"The United States is being bombarded with cyber-attacks. From the surge in ransomware groups targeting critical infrastructure to nation states compromising the software supply chain and corporate email servers, malicious cyber activities have reached an all-time high. Russia attracts the most attention, but China is vastly more sophisticated. They have a common interest in exploiting the openness of the Internet and social media-and our democracy-to erode confidence in our institutions and to exacerbate our societal rifts to prevent us from mounting an effective response. Halting this digital aggression will require Americans to undertake sweeping changes in how we educate, organize and protect ourselves and to ask difficult questions about how vulnerable our largest technology giants are"-- Provided by publisher

Contents:

Introduction: All hands on deck -- Part I: We are at war. Cyber warfare: The enemy inside the gates -- Water and oil: Weaponized ransomware, digital proxies, and the threat to critical infrastructure -- Chinese cyber espionage: The greatest transfer of wealth in history -- The new oil: Data and China's digital silk road strategy -- Stoking the flames: How malign influence exacerbates America's political divides and ethnic tensions -- Software meltdown: The problem with trust -- Someone else's server: The vulnerabilities of cloud computing -- Stealing the war: Cyber threats to America's defense supply chain -- Part II: The response: What must be done. Retreat from globalization: Easing corporate America's addiction to China -- Social disorder: Reining in social media and big tech -- Re-architecting security: What the private sector must do -- Government action: What the public sector must do -- Collective defense: How the public and private sectors must work together -- Conclusion: The metaverse, education, and restoring the political "center".

Subject Term:

Cyberterrorism -- United States.

Cyberterrorism -- Government policy -- United States.

Information warfare -- United States.

Computer networks -- Security measures -- United States.

Added Author:

Holstein, William J.,

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Library	Material Type	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
Searching... Sugar Grove - Todd Library	Book	HV6773.15 .C97 M36 2023	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

The United States is being bombarded with cyber-attacks. From the surge in ransomware groups targeting critical infrastructure to nation states compromising the software supply chain and corporate email servers, malicious cyber activities have reached an all-time high. Russia attracts the most attention, but China is vastly more sophisticated. They have a common interest in exploiting the openness of the Internet and social media--and our democracy--to erode confidence in our institutions and to exacerbate our societal rifts to prevent us from mounting an effective response. Halting this digital aggression will require Americans to undertake sweeping changes in how we educate, organize and protect ourselves and to ask difficult questions about how vulnerable our largest technology giants are.

If we are waiting for a "Cyber 9/11" or a "Cyber Pearl Harbor," we are misunderstanding how our adversaries wage cyber warfare. This is a timely and critically important book. No other book has analyzed the threat of cyber warfare with the depth and knowledge brought to the subject by the authors.

It has now become a cliché to argue that a "whole of government" or "whole of society" response is necessary to respond to this crisis, but that concept has never been more important. It will take many years and billions of dollars to even begin to secure our IT systems and prevent the slow rot that is destroying America. Using language that the layman can understand, we wish to educate Americans about what has happened and inspire them to seek solutions.

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

Pertinent exploration of how cyberspace combat has become a dangerous reality. "Make no mistake, America's adversaries are fully engaged in a cyber war," write the authors, "and it is raging all around us." This initially sounds like hyperbole, but as the narrative unfolds, it begins to seem like an understatement. McLaughlin is a former senior adviser for U.S. Cyber Command, where he was responsible for the coordination of Department of Defense counterintelligence operations in cyberspace, and Holstein is a journalist who specializes in technology and China. The authors make a strong argument that Russia and China are winning an insidious digital war against the U.S. They explain how hacks, malware, and system penetrations work, dissecting some of the major incidents. Russia is mainly concerned with disruption, and its government has coopted hackers specializing in ransomware attacks into their operations. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was preceded by cyberattacks on the country's communications systems and infrastructure, which were remarkably effective. China is more interested in colonizing American systems to insert malware, steal intellectual property, and gather personal data. Both countries have penetrated social media platforms and have established a covert presence in cloud systems. McLaughlin and Holstein propose moves to improve digital security in the U.S., looking to Taiwan as a model for cooperation between government and the private sector. A Department of Digital Services could provide coordination and support as well as pushing tech companies to move their operations out of China. Corporations have to be willing to share information and protective technology, and there must be a concerted effort to remove embedded malware from systems in companies, government agencies, and the military. McLaughlin and Holstein present a convincing case in clear language, and the result is a book that is likely to keep you awake at night. A disturbing, well-rendered study that reveals the extent of the digital struggle and charts a way forward for the U.S. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Introduction: All Hands on Deck	v
Part I We Are at War	1
Chapter 1 Cyber Warfare: The Enemy inside the Gates	3
Chapter 2 Water and Oil: Weaponized Ransomware, Digital Proxies, and the Threat to Critical Infrastructure	19
Chapter 3 Chinese Cyber Espionage: The Greatest Transfer of Wealth in History	39
Chapter 4 The New Oil: Data and China's Digital Silk Road Strategy	53
Chapter 5 Stoking the Flames: How Malign Influence Exacerbates America's Political Divides and Ethnic Tensions	79
Chapter 6 Software Meltdown: The Problem with Trust	101
Chapter 7 Someone Else's Server: The Vulnerabilities of Cloud Computing	115
Chapter 8 Stealing the War: Cyber Threats to America's Defense Supply Chain	127
Part II The Response: What Must Be Done	147
Chapter 9 Retreat from Globalization: Easing Corporate America's Addiction to China	149
Chapter 10 Social Disorder: Reining in Social Media and Big Tech	171
Chapter 11 Re-Architecting Security: What the Private Sector Must Do	189
Chapter 12 Government Action: What the Public Sector Must Do	205
Chapter 13 Collective Defense: How the Public and Private Sectors Must Work Together	227
Conclusion: The Metaverse, Education, and Restoring the Political "Center"	239
Notes	245
Index	267
About the Authors	285

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Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

Table of Contents