Tennis Hits the Books
I am expected to regularly deliver “talks” and conference presentations as a part of my day job. This year in those settings, I have consistently issued a strong recommendation for people to read Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin’s Most Dangerous Hackers. In some cases, my language is couched as an imperative. If I could I would wave a magic wand and get everybody in the United States to read this particular book, I would do it.
Sandworm was originally published in 2019. It was written before the pandemic as well as the controversy surrounding the 2020 election. No one can accuse author Andy Greenberg as having a hidden agenda relating to those topics.
While the book is primarily about cybersecurity, it is written for the general public and the technical nature of the content shouldn’t frighten anyone off. Some of the chapters in Sandworm have been reprinted as articles in Wired Magazine, where Greenberg works as a senior writer. The book is riveting and an entertaining read. It is one of the best cybersecurity book ever written and unlike many other of that genre, it’s relevance is increasing over time.
At my day job, my technical focus is generally described as “Cyber Risk Assessment and Engineering for Cyber Resiliency.” As such, I have a deep appreciation for our societal dependence on cyber-enabled systems as well as the risks we are facing each and every day from potential cyber attack and potential failure of our critical infrastructure. It is a threat that demands our cognizance and vigilance. For people in (and aspiring to) a career in cybersecurity, the foundational information encapsulated in Sandworm is essential knowledge.
We are living in an age of unprecedented polarization in our country. Arguing with the extremes is an exercise in futility. We are unlikely to change anyone’s opinions on the facts alone in the current environment. I genuinely believe that raising public awareness of the nature of cyber influence operations is a small step to help us start pulling out of the destructive spiral. Anyone who reads Sandworm will emerge with a deeper understanding of the forces that are clearly visible in our current discourse.
Heading into the Holiday season, you might have some downtime to make an investment in yourself. I highly recommend Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin’s Most Dangerous Hackers. It won’t make you a better tennis player, but it may help you recognize the influence operation tactics that are raging around us. It’s actually more important.
 | Sandworm: A New Era of Cyberwar and the Hunt for the Kremlin’s Most Dangerous Hackers |
As a footnote, if your heart is set on a tennis book for the holiday reading season, “New Tennis Books to Give This Holiday Season” contains my top three selections from books published in 2021. “My Notable Tennis Book Whiffs From 2021” also contains some good choices.
