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The Hacker and the State by Ben Buchanan

The Hacker and the State

By Ben Buchanan

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About The Hacker and the State

Ben Buchanan examines cyber operations as an established instrument of competition among states. His account follows espionage, disruption, and attempts to shape an adversary's options, showing why hacking matters even when it falls short of open war.

Why I include it

I include this to ground discussion of cyber conflict in actual operations and the strategic choices behind them.

Reading guide · Read 5

Tech, Surveillance & the New Cold War

Explains cyber operations as routine geopolitical competition rather than only spectacular future-war scenarios.

What to look for while reading

Which evidence supports the author's argument, and how does this account change the questions you bring to the other books in this section?

Perspective & context

I bring these books together to compare perspectives and develop judgment. No single author has the final word.

Key themes

  • Tech, Surveillance & the New Cold War

Praise & Reviews

“easily accessible, tightly argued, superbly well-sourced, intimidatingly perceptive.”
— Thomas Rid

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