The Invisible Cyber-War

When you hear the word cyber-attack, what comes to mind?
Someone hacking into your email, or stealing your Facebook
password?


As it turns out, our most critical infrastructure can be hacked.
Our banks, water treatment facilities, and nuclear power plants
can be deactivated and even controlled simply by finding bugs in
the software used to operate them. Suddenly, cyber-attack
takes on a different meaning.


This week on Your Undivided Attention, we're talking with
cyber-security expert Nicole Perlroth. Nicole spent a decade as
the lead cyber-security reporter at The New York Times, and is
now a member of the Department of Homeland Security’s
Cybersecurity Advisory Committee. She recently published “This Is
How They Tell Me The World Ends” — an in-depth exploration of the
global cyber arms race.

CORRECTIONS: In the episode, Nicole says that "the United States
could have only afforded 2 to 3 more days of Colonial Pipeline
being down before it ground the country — our economy — to a
halt." The correct number is actually 3 to 5 days. She also
refers to a 2015 study researching why some countries have
significantly fewer successful cyber-attacks relative to
cyber-attack attempts. That study was actually published in
2016.

RECOMMENDED MEDIA 


This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends


Nicole Perlroth’s 2021 book investigating the global
cyber-weapons arms race


Reporter Page at the New York Times


Nicole’s articles while the lead cyber-security reporter at the
New York Times


The Global Cyber-Vulnerability Report (in brief)


Brief of a 2015 study by the Center for Digital International
Government, Virginia Tech, and the University of Maryland that
researched why some countries have significantly fewer successful
cyber-attacks relative to cyber-attack attempts


RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES 


The Dark Side Of Decentralization with Audrey Kurth Cronin:
https://www.humanetech.com/podcast/49-the-dark-side-of-decentralization


Is World War III Already Here? Guest: Lieutenant General H.R.
McMaster:
https://www.humanetech.com/podcast/45-is-world-war-iii-already-here


A Problem Well-Stated Is Half-Solved with Daniel
Schmachtenberger: 


https://www.humanetech.com/podcast/a-problem-well-stated-is-half-solved


Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for
Humane Technology. Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_