David E. Sanger, "The Perfect Weapon"

David E. Sanger discusses his book, "The Perfect Weapon", at Politics and Prose on 6/28/18.

Seven years ago, cyberwarfare wasn’t even on the National Intelligence Agency’s radar. Now, it’s listed as the number one threat to American national security. In this deeply researched study, Sanger, the Pulitzer Prize-winning chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times, details the history, threat, and possible futures of a weapon even more dangerous than nuclear arms. As the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections shows, cyberwarfare can shape world events without violence. It’s also difficult to guard against, inexpensive to acquire, and can disrupt and damage crucial infrastructure. Drawing on his extensive connections, Sanger reports from war rooms, boardrooms, and military cyberdens for a comprehensive analysis of this rising threat.

Sanger is in conversation with Robert Litwak, Senior Vice President and Director of International Security Studies at the Wilson Center.

DAVID E. SANGER is national security correspondent for the New York Times and bestselling author of The Inheritance and Confront and Conceal. He has been a member of three teams that won the Pulitzer Prize, including in 2017 for international reporting. A regular contributor to CNN, he also teaches national security policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

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Produced by Tom Warren