Living in the Age of Cyberweapons

Cyberweapons minimize the need to risk military personnel and equipment, and can instantly be deployed to any area. In 2015, Russian hackers were able to access computer systems of the Democratic National Committee, and the e-mails released by Wikileaks altered American democracy and how we look at those in power. Cyberattacks by North Korea and China also caused uproar, showing that the United States is just as vulnerable as other nations. Yet, the cyberattacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, led by the Bush administration and further supported by President Obama, demonstrated the extent of the damage that could be caused by cyberweapons and illustrated just how quickly these situations can spiral out of control.
David Sanger, National Security Correspondent for The New York Times, has written extensively about the development and use of cyberweapons. Sanger is the recent author of The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age. He joins us to discuss the various uses of cyberweapons and how great and small powers are affected.
SPEAKER:
David SangerChief Washington Correspondent, The New York Times
MODERATOR:
Markos KounalakisVisiting Fellow, Hoover Institution