The argument that international warfare can be carried out in cyberspace has been evaluated by many as warmongering. This book aims to counter those opinions by providing anecdotal evidence that cyber war is not only a distinct possibility, but that various nations have supposedly been pursuing various forms of cyber war in recent years.

Chapter 1 looks at famous distributed denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. Chapter 2 looks at the strategies of various nations, including China and Russia, to prepare for information warfare. Chapter 3 provides a basic understanding of cyberspace; for example, one section is on “How and Why Cyber War is Possible.” Chapter 4 provides a brief look at work done over the last 20 years, at both the policy and technical levels, to secure cyberspace.

Chapter 5 laments the absence of any formal US strategy regarding cyber war, and it goes on to stress the need for a credible defense and to propose a defense strategy. Chapter 6 looks at the other side of the coin: offense. Chapter 7 turns the discussion on its head by considering the steps needed to prevent cyber war through diplomacy and multipartite agreements. The last chapter sets a forward-looking agenda, defining steps that need to be taken in order to avoid disaster.

The underlying message throughout the book is that the US, because of its inability to defend against sophisticated cyber attacks, is not ready. Clarke, the main author, has a flair for dramatics, and his use of unverifiable anecdotal incidents in the first half of the book supports the points presented in the second half.

In order to prepare for a future where various systems become more automated and more dependent on other complex and often evolving cyber systems, it is worth paying attention to Clarke and Knake’s warnings and using the strategy framework presented in the book. The book will be of interest to those who want to evaluate the issue, without being encumbered by theoretical [1] and technical [2] details.