Manipulated: Inside the Cyberwar to Hijack Elections and Distort the Truth
Cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton tells battlefront stories from the global war being conducted through clicks, swipes, internet access, technical backdoors and massive espionage schemes. She investigates the cyberwarriors who are planning tomorrow's attacks, weaving a fascinating tale of Artificial Intelligent mutations carrying out attacks without human intervention, "deepfake" videos that look real to the naked eye, and chatbots that beget other chatbots. Finally, Payton offers readers telltale signs that their most fundamental beliefs are being meddled with and actions they can take or demand that corporations and elected officials must take before it is too late.
The updated paperback edition, including new information on real world cases of AI, chatgpt, tiktok, and all the latest and greatest exploits of manipulation campaigns, will leave readers both captivated and chilled to the bone.
Book Details
- Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
- Publish Date: Apr 23rd, 2024
- Pages: 246
- Language: English
- Dimensions: 8.90in - 6.04in - 0.54in - 0.74lb
- EAN: 9781538188651
- Categories: • Political Process - Campaigns & Elections• Intelligence & Espionage• Security (National & International)
About the Author
Praise for this book
Theresa Payton's book on emerging security threats in cyberspace will pry your eyes wide-open to what is at stake for elections around the world, and other shenanigans involving your digital identity. After reading it you will understand why we are living in such divisive times and you will be much wiser when developing your online presence.
-- "The UN Brief"Manipulated takes on what is arguably the most important issue facing Americans today: the global digital war on democracy being waged by our geopolitical adversaries. Indeed, as she explains, most of the world is threatened by cyber election meddling. The basic story is familiar to people who follow the news. Russian and Chinese state actors, along with cyberwar units in Iran and elsewhere, are using highly sophisticated digital technologies to shift American public opinion and even hack the election infrastructure itself. What Payton does so skillfully in the book, though, is to flesh out the frightening reality of America's true vulnerability to foreign manipulation of its political process. Payton comes to this task with strong credentials. She was the first woman to serve as White House CIO, under President George W. Bush. Now, Payton is CEO of Fortalice Solutions, a cybersecurity and intelligence services firm. She brings an experienced eye to a subject that can be overwhelming and bewildering to most Americans.
-- "Journal of Cyber Policy"In light of the misinformation that is constantly assaulting ALL of our 'newsfeeds', & the threat to our democracy via cyber warfare and cyber security, this is a book you should order TODAY.
-- "Carey Lohrenz, first female U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat pilot and author of "Fearless Leadership: High-Per"Anyone that reads the news, watches TV or is on social networks needs to read this book! You are being manipulated and this book gives you the tools to recognize when you're being manipulated and how to stop it!
--Eric Anderson, Cyber Security Leader, SeattleManipulated begins each chapter with a brief fictionalized story about what's going on out there among hackers, politicians, criminals, and others, creating a 'spy thriller' thread throughout the book. Chapters then go into different aspects of digital manipulation, exploring real life situations and examples taken from today's headlines and behind-the-scenes experiences of the author.
--Haiyan Song, Silicon Valley Executive in Cyber SecurityManipulated traces the rise of disinformation in today's connected world and why the problem for free and open societies is only becoming more acute. While covert influence has been a feature of statecraft in modern history, what's new is the ease and scale that nation-states - or private groups - can mislead audiences, distort truth, besmirch brands, foment political strife or agitate social cleavages with a few well-placed socket puppets and amplification networks. Having been on the front lines of cyber intelligence for two decades, Theresa offers tangible solutions to safeguard the information commons and protect our digital world.
--Andrew McClure, Principal, ForgePoint CapitalWith the COVID-19 pandemic globally and upcoming elections in the United States, we all are subjected to ongoing propaganda and manipulation campaigns. Theresa Payton's new book Manipulated walks the reader step by step how to spot any kind of misinformation or manipulation campaign, explains how to understand who is behind it, and what their motives are. Any reader will be shocked to learn all of their true motivations. I highly recommend reading this newly published book!
--Algirde Pipikaite, Project Lead of Governance and Policy, Center for Cybersecurity, World Economic ForumThe book Manipulated was written from the front lines of a cyber warrior. After assessing what happened in global elections in 2016 and 2018, Theresa offers her predictions for where we are headed in 2020. Given her uncanny ability to predict where cybercriminals will attack next, all of us would do well to listen - including our elected officials and Big Tech. What will the world look like if this meddling continues? The fight requires government actions, a commitment from social media companies, tech giants, and all of us, locking arms and working together. The end of Manipulated includes a how-to guide for global governments and citizens, empowering the reader to take action.
--Angela Yochem, EVP, Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Novant Health