Information Warfare: Chaos on the Electronic Superhighway - Hardcover

Schwartau, Winn

3.5

26 ratings by Goodreads

9781560250807: Information Warfare: Chaos on the Electronic Superhighway

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1560250801 ISBN 13: 9781560250807

Publisher: Thunder's Mouth Pr, 1994

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Discusses the risk of misuse of computers, including the dangers of espionage, sabotage, invasion of privacy, fraud, and other problems, and describes possible security measures

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From Library Journal:

Lyon (sociology, Queen's Univ., Ontario) has written a detailed, scholarly work on the use of technology for surveillance. He describes our present culture as the "surveillance society," reminding us that explicit details of our personal lives are gathered, stored, sorted, retrieved, and processed every day among the massive computer databases of large corporations and government departments. But surveillance, as explored by Lyon, is not overwhelmingly negative in its effects. Nor does he conclude that surveillance is inherently evil. Citing the efforts of the Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, Lyon instead encourages public awareness of surveillance issues. He lauds mobilized efforts to restrict inappropriate use of electronic surveillance and to block attempts to make personal information publicly available. A noteworthy study of an important issue, this is intended for informed readers. A general audience will find Schwartau's Information Warfare more appealing. Schwartau, an expert on information security and electronic privacy, presents an overview of "information warfare," a confict in which electronic information is a vital asset and a strategic target for conquest or destruction. Showing that the essence of our individual and corporate selves is being distributed across thousands of computer databases over which we have little or no control, Schwartau paints a grim picture of what could happen if the very records that define us become subject to malicious modification, theft, unauthorized disclosure, or outright destruction. Personal, corporate, and global information warfare currently costs the United States hundreds of billions of dollars a year. Schwartau describes almost every kind of information disaster imaginable and compels us to establish a National Information Policy to serve as the foundation for our future: a constitution for Cyberspace. This book presents disturbing answers to some simple questions about our personal and national stake in the Global Network. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.
Joe Accardi, Northeastern Illinois Univ. Lib., Chicago
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

Hackers who break into companies' computers, steal or scramble data and plant "viruses" are only the most publicized threat to electronic security, according to this shocking and eye-opening report. It shows that the computer systems and information highways of U.S. businesses, government and the military are surprisingly vulnerable to theft, data manipulation and sabotage by "information warriors" such as corporate employees, business competitors, organized crime, drug cartels, terrorists, law enforcement officials, insurance companies and others. Schwartau, an information security specialist, tells of electromagnetic eavesdroppers who use a modified TV set to pick up computer screens' emissions; HERF (high-energy radio frequency) guns that can zap an entire computer network; and microchip manufacturers who insert cloned or counterfeit chips so that complex equipment will eventually crash. He outlines a national information policy (which he was asked to present to the Clinton administration), a blueprint to safeguard electronic privacy. Schwartau closes with a practical chapter for individuals or companies seeking to ward off snoops and electronic troublemakers.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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