Actions Panel
"The Hacker and the State": Book Talk and Reception with Dr. Ben Buchanan
Join Dr. Ben Buchanan to discuss his new book, "The Hacker and the State."
Date and time
Location
Bioethics Research Library
102 Healy Hall 37th and O Streets, N.W. Washington, DC 20057About this event
Join the Center for Security Studies for a special event featuring the latest publication by core faculty member Dr. Ben Buchanan, moderated by Dr. Elizabeth Grimm Arsenault. Dr. Buchanan will discuss geopolitical competition of the digital age, and his new book, The Hacker and the State. He will also explain why cyber attacks are far less destructive than we anticipated, far more pervasive, and much harder to prevent. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions, and light refreshments will be provided before and after the event. Dr. Buchanan will also sign books, which will be on sale at the event.
About the Book
The Hacker and the State: Cyber Attacks and the New Normal of Geopolitics
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.
About the Author
Ben Buchanan is a Senior Faculty Fellow at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), where he directs the Cybersecurity and AI Project, and an Assistant Teaching Professor at Georgetown's Center for Security Studies, where he conducts research on the intersection of cybersecurity and statecraft. His first book, The Cybersecurity Dilemma, was published by Oxford University Press in 2017. Previously, he has written journal articles and peer-reviewed papers on artificial intelligence, attributing cyber attacks, deterrence in cyber operations, cryptography, election cybersecurity, and the spread of malicious code between nations and non-state actors. He is also a regular contributor to War on the Rocks and Lawfare, and has published op-eds in the Washington Post and other outlets. He was previously a fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Ben received his Ph.D. in War Studies from King’s College London, where he was a Marshall Scholar. He earned masters and undergraduate degrees from Georgetown University.
Accommodations
Requests for accommodations relating to a disability should be sent to the Center for Security Studies event manager Jordan Moeny at jrm296@georgetown.edu no later than Friday, February 21.