61 pages • 2-hour read
This Is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Part 1Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Part 1: “Mission Impossible”
Part 1, Chapter 1 Summary: “Closet of Secrets”
In 2010, Perlroth was recruited to work as the lead cybersecurity journalist for the New York Times due to her engaging writing style and her work covering Silicon Valley corporations for Forbes magazine. In 2013, the NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked confidential documents about the US government’s domestic espionage activities to journalists in an effort to hold government agencies accountable for widespread invasions of privacy and violations of civil liberties. The British newspaper The Guardian enlisted the New York Times to assist in analyzing the leaked documents and to place pressure on government factions opposed to the publication of this information.
Perlroth and several colleagues worked on the project in intense secrecy and under a strict nondisclosure agreement; they could only access hard copies of the documents while they were confined to a windowless storage closet. The documents showed that the NSA had been investing huge amounts of money into digital espionage and compiling massive quantities of metadata and personal information by indiscriminately wiretapping and hacking the devices of American citizens. The documents contained numerous references to “zero-days”; in terms of software, this phrase refers to critical security vulnerabilities that are unknown to the manufacturer and are therefore exposed to exploitation by hackers. The term stems from the fact that there are “zero days” of leeway before developers need to fix these issues. The work made Perlroth increasingly aware of the vulnerabilities that are present in everyday digital systems, and she also became hypervigilant about the potential threats that unsecured technology could pose in her daily life.
Part 1, Chapter 2 Summary: “The Fucking Salmon”
Shortly before the Snowden Leaks were made public, Perlroth attended a hacking conference in Miami, Florida. (Such annual events bring the nation’s best and brightest hackers together to discuss current issues in information technology, show off their abilities, and engage in networking.) Perlroth notes that in this male-dominated space, she stood out as much for being a woman as for being a journalist. By this point, her interest in the market for zero-day exploits was growing rapidly, but any questions that she posed on the topic to acquaintances at the conference were met with evasion and silence.
One evening, over dinner, Perlroth questioned two young hackers about the ethical implications of their practice of selling zero-day exploits. One man deflected by saying that he would rather speak about his meal—salmon—instead. In that moment, Perlroth resolved to dedicate herself to investigating the zero-day market despite the roadblocks and difficulties that she was guaranteed to face in such a secretive circles. Her goal was to publish her findings and expose this shadowy industry to public scrutiny. The phrase “the fucking salmon” was coined during the meal by an exasperated German security consultant frustrated by the two young hackers’ lack of moral integrity and responsibility. The phrase became Perlroth’s personal code for all the times in the investigation when secrecy and confidentiality obstructed her quest for truth.
Part 1 Analysis
The title of this part, “Mission Impossible,” is a cultural reference to the popular movie franchise of the same name. Not only does the phrase evoke imagery of espionage and boots-on-the-ground investigative work—both of which are relevant to Perlroth’s experience—but it also highlights both the real and perceived difficulties of Perlroth’s self-assigned mission to expose the zero-day market. Similarly, journalist Dan Rather’s featured quote about the addictive nature of journalism is designed to introduce Part 1’s focus on Perlroth’s journalistic integrity and professional curiosity. These first two chapters are unique because they do not follow the chronological and thematic structure of the subsequent chapters that address the development of the zero-day market. Instead, Part 1 essentially functions as an introduction to Perlroth herself and to the world of hacking. It explains Perlroth’s motivations in pursuing the truth of zero-days and uses narrative techniques to explain the context in which her quest began. These chapters set the stage for the remainder of the book and establish Perlroth as the central figure of the narrative—the intrepid seeker into the shadowy market and its players.
From the very outset, the text shows that Perlroth has the access, experience, and ability to investigate zero-days very effectively, and she uses a series of strategic, anecdotal passages to bolster the credibility of her analyses and conclusions. For example, Chapter 1 details her personal work surrounding one of the most globally renowned information leaks of the 21st century (the infamous Snowden Leaks), highlighting The Impact of Digital Espionage on Privacy and Civil Liberties. The Snowden Leaks were notable precisely because they dealt with the NSA’s violation of civil liberties and its practice of flouting American citizens’ right to privacy.
As a logical development of this issue, Perlroth’s conversations with hackers in Chapter 2 introduce The Responsibility to Safeguard Digital Infrastructure. Perlroth cites this example to express her frustration with the two younger hackers’ failure to take responsibility for the repercussions of their actions, as such “black hat” offensive hackers actively compromise the integrity and security of important systems. Finally, Perlroth’s mention of the presence of shady government agencies at the hacking conference—and their undiluted interest in its attendees—foreshadows the involvement of various government agencies in the international hacking exploits detailed in future chapters. This, and the fact that there were revelations about the USA’s hacking of allies in the Snowden Leaks, speaks to the importance of The Role of Hacking in Modern International Relations and Conflicts.
Unlock all 61 pages of this Study Guide
Get in-depth, chapter-by-chapter summaries and analysis from our literary experts.
- Grasp challenging concepts with clear, comprehensive explanations
- Revisit key plot points and ideas without rereading the book
- Share impressive insights in classes and book clubs