A hacker's mind How the powerful bend society's rules, and how to bend them back

Review by Booklist Review

Author and public-interest security technologist Schneier (Data and Goliath, 2015) defines a "hack" as an activity allowed by a system "that subverts the rules or norms of the system . . . at the expense of someone else affected by the system." In accessing the security of a particular system, technologists such as Schneier look at how it might fail. In order to counter a hack, it becomes necessary to think like a hacker. Schneier lays out the ramifications of a variety of hacks, contrasting the hacking of the tax code to benefit the wealthy with hacks in realms such as sports that can innovate and change a game for the better. The key to dealing with hacks is being proactive and providing adequate patches to fix any vulnerabilities. Schneier's fascinating work illustrates how susceptible many systems are to being hacked and how lives can be altered by these subversions. Schneier's deep dive into this cross-section of technology and humanity makes for investigative gold.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

"Hacking is something that the rich and powerful do, something that reinforces existing power structures," contends security technologist Schneier (Click Here to Kill Everybody) in this excellent survey of exploitation. Taking a broad understanding of hacking as an "activity allowed by the system that subverts the... system," Schneier draws on his background analyzing weaknesses in cybersecurity to examine how those with power take advantage of financial, legal, political, and cognitive systems. He decries how venture capitalists "hack" market dynamics by subverting the pressures of supply and demand, noting that venture capital has kept Uber afloat despite the company having not yet turned a profit. Legal loopholes constitute another form of hacking, Schneier suggests, discussing how the inability of tribal courts to try non-Native individuals means that many sexual assaults of Native American women go unprosecuted because they were committed by non--Native American men. Schneier outlines strategies used by corporations to capitalize on neural processes and "hack... our attention circuits," pointing out how Facebook's algorithms boost content that outrages users because doing so increases engagement. Elegantly probing the mechanics of exploitation, Schneier makes a persuasive case that "we need society's rules and laws to be as patchable as your computer." With lessons that extend far beyond the tech world, this has much to offer. (Feb.)

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

A cybersecurity expert examines how the powerful game whatever system is put before them, leaving it to others to cover the cost. Schneier, a professor at Harvard Kennedy School and author of such books as Data and Goliath and Click Here To Kill Everybody, regularly challenges his students to write down the first 100 digits of pi, a nearly impossible task--but not if they cheat, concerning which he admonishes, "Don't get caught." Not getting caught is the aim of the hackers who exploit the vulnerabilities of systems of all kinds. Consider right-wing venture capitalist Peter Thiel, who located a hack in the tax code: "Because he was one of the founders of PayPal, he was able to use a $2,000 investment to buy 1.7 million shares of the company at $0.001 per share, turning it into $5 billion--all forever tax free." It was perfectly legal--and even if it weren't, the wealthy usually go unpunished. The author, a fluid writer and tech communicator, reveals how the tax code lends itself to hacking, as when tech companies like Apple and Google avoid paying billions of dollars by transferring profits out of the U.S. to corporate-friendly nations such as Ireland, then offshoring the "disappeared" dollars to Bermuda, the Caymans, and other havens. Every system contains trap doors that can be breached to advantage. For example, Schneier cites "the Pudding Guy," who hacked an airline miles program by buying low-cost pudding cups in a promotion that, for $3,150, netted him 1.2 million miles and "lifetime Gold frequent flier status." Since it was all within the letter if not the spirit of the offer, "the company paid up." The companies often do, because they're gaming systems themselves. "Any rule can be hacked," notes the author, be it a religious dietary restriction or a legislative procedure. With technology, "we can hack more, faster, better," requiring diligent monitoring and a demand that everyone play by rules that have been hardened against tampering. An eye-opening, maddening book that offers hope for leveling a badly tilted playing field. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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