Ask HN: Best Cyber Warfare Books?

[giantg2]

What are your favorite books on cyber warfare? These could be manuals or how-to, or stuff like real-world stories.

[ahazred8ta]

On a smaller scale: The Cyberthief and the Samurai (1996) is about Shimomura and Kevin Mitnick https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18163.The_Cyberthief_and...

The Cuckoo's Egg (1989) is about Clifford Stoll and a West German hacking for the KGB https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18154.The_Cuckoo_s_Egg

[ahazred8ta → ahazred8ta]

/me waves to user Cliff: https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=CliffStoll

[whalesalad → ahazred8ta]

+1 for cuckoos egg

[ews → whalesalad]

+1 too, it's an amazing book

[bwb]

I highly recommend two...

Dark Wire - An insane story about the FBI setting up their own encrypted phone network and selling it to global crime syndicates.

Mastermind - The story of a 10-year-long quest to bring down Paul Le Roux, who went from crypto coder to drug lord to an insane global crime group. It is one of the craziest stories I've ever read. If you want to see how Bond villains form in real life this is it :)

Also, a lot of people have recommended "This is how they tell me the world ends" as well: https://shepherd.com/book/this-is-how-they-tell-me-the-world...

And I've been meaning to read Countdown to Zero Day about Stuxnet.

[runjake → bwb]

+1 Mastermind. A superb read. Will also lead to rabbit holes of research of the various people in the book. Many elaborate webs.

[vineyardlabs → bwb]

Countdown to zero day is great. It straddles the line between technical and accessible to a wide audience well IMO.

[giantg2 → bwb]

Do you have the author for Mastermind?

[bwb → giantg2]

Doh sorry, Evan Ratliff

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/549566/the-mastermi...

[giantg2 → bwb]

Thanks!

[entropyie]

Tallinn Manual 2.0 on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Operations.

Not exactly a page turner, but if you are serious, it offers a solid legal understanding of cyber operations.

The Art and Science of Military Deception by Barton Whaley.

Again, somewhat dry but essential if you are serious about cyber warfare.

[__alexander]

Hello,

These are my favorites. Some are more related to cyber-crime than cyber-warfare.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/38655520?shelf=cyber-s...

[entropyie → __alexander]

+1 for Sandworm

[DLA]

The Perfect Weapon

We Are All Targets

Countdown to Zero Day

This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends (about the Zero Day market)

Cyber Warfare - Truth, Tactics, and Strategies

The Art of Cyberwarfare: An Investigator's Guide to Espionage, Ransomware, and Organized Cybercrime

[__alexander → DLA]

“This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends.” was refuted as being inaccurate by a lot of individuals in the infosec community.

[romperstomper → DLA]

+1 for "Countdown to Zero Day"

[aweiher]

"Sandworm" by Andy Greenberg gave me the chills.

[netman21]

Surviving Cyberwar There Will be Cyberwar: How The Move To Network-Centric Warfighting Has Set The Stage For Cyberwar

[giantg2]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

[Desafinado]

Underground Empire by Henry Farrell.

[halfcat]

I recall enjoying Masters of Deception: The Gang That Ruled Cyberspace