Overview

"This gripping espionage tale penetrates the network of international mobsters and hackers who use the internet to extort money from businesses, steal from tens of millions of consumers and attack government networks. In this disquieting cyber thriller, Joseph Menn takes readers into the murky hacker underground, travelling the globe from San Francisco to Costa Rica and London to Russia. His guides are California surfer and computer whiz Barrett Lyon and a fearless British high-tech agent. Through these heroes, Menn shows the evolution of cyber-crime from small-time thieving to sophisticated, organised gangs, who began by attacking corporate websites but increasingly steal financial data from consumers and defence secrets from governments. Using unprecedented access to Mob businesses and Russian officials, the book reveals how top criminals earned protection from the Russian government. ""Fatal System Error"" penetrates both the Russian cyber-mob and Cosa Nostra as the two fight over the Internet's massive spoils. The cloak-and-dagger adventure shows why cyber-crime is much worse than you thought - and why the internet might not survive."

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9781586487485

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Reviews

Richard A. Clarke, Counter-terror chief under presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and author of Against All Enemies: Inside America 's War on Terror <br> Fatal System Error accurately reveals the secretive global cyber cartels and their hidden multi-billion dollar business, proving cybercrime does pay and pays well. <br>Jonathan Zittrain, Professor of Law, Harvard Law School; Co-Founder, Berkman Center for Internet & Society and author of The Future of the Internet--And How to Stop It <br> Joseph Menn immerses us in the personalities and politics behind today's cybersecurity threats and countermeasures. This balanced, compelling account shows why the future of the Internet depends more on people of good will than on some technological magic bullet. <br>Vicky Raab, The New Yorker <br> [ Fatal System Error ] kept me riveted to the couch all weekend <br>Quentin Hardy, Forbes <br> [A] well-reported book on some of the biggest (known) cybercrimes in the past decade... Menn's book could hardly be more timely. <br> Network World <br> As eye-popping as the book's portrayal of bookies and wise-guy swagger is... the second half of the book is even more mind-blowing. <br> BBC Focus Magazine <br> The issues raised are hugely important, and failure to deal with criminals behind so much online crime will be an embarrassment to governments worldwide. <br> Business Week <br> In profiling two eclectic cyber-crime fighters, Menn has crafted a fascinating high-tech whodunit that educates even as it entertains. <br> The Guardian <br> Menn spins racy tales of true-life cybercrime...The villains glory in handles such as 'Bra1n', and the heroes are portrayed respectively as Matthew Broderick from Wargames and Daniel Craig's Bond, but the narrative glitter is sprinkled on top of serious and thorough reporting. Menn concludes: 'A number of enormously powerful national governments, especially those of Russia and China, have picked the blossomi

Richard A. Clarke, Counter-terror chief under presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and author of Against All Enemies: Inside America 's War on Terror Fatal System Error accurately reveals the secretive global cyber cartels and their hidden multi-billion dollar business, proving cybercrime does pay and pays well. Jonathan Zittrain, Professor of Law, Harvard Law School; Co-Founder, Berkman Center for Internet & Society and author of The Future of the Internet--And How to Stop It Joseph Menn immerses us in the personalities and politics behind today's cybersecurity threats and countermeasures. This balanced, compelling account shows why the future of the Internet depends more on people of good will than on some technological magic bullet. Vicky Raab, The New Yorker [ Fatal System Error ] kept me riveted to the couch all weekend Quentin Hardy, Forbes [A] well-reported book on some of the biggest (known) cybercrimes in the past decade... Menn's book could hardly be more timely. Network World As eye-popping as the book's portrayal of bookies and wise-guy swagger is... the second half of the book is even more mind-blowing. BBC Focus Magazine The issues raised are hugely important, and failure to deal with criminals behind so much online crime will be an embarrassment to governments worldwide. Business Week In profiling two eclectic cyber-crime fighters, Menn has crafted a fascinating high-tech whodunit that educates even as it entertains. The Guardian Menn spins racy tales of true-life cybercrime...The villains glory in handles such as 'Bra1n', and the heroes are portrayed respectively as Matthew Broderick from Wargames and Daniel Craig's Bond, but the narrative glitter is sprinkled on top of serious and thorough reporting. Menn concludes: 'A number of enormously powerful national governments, especially those of Russia and China, have picked the blossomi

<b><i>BBC Focus Magazine</i></b> The issues raised are hugely important, and failure to deal with criminals behind so much online crime will be an embarrassment to governments worldwide. <b><i>Business Week</i></b> In profiling two eclectic cyber-crime fighters, Menn has crafted a fascinating high-tech whodunit that educates even as it entertains. <b><i>The Guardian</i></b> Menn spins racy tales of true-life cybercrime...The villains glory in handles such as 'Bra1n', and the heroes are portrayed respectively as Matthew Broderick from Wargames and Daniel Craig's Bond, but the narrative glitter is sprinkled on top of serious and thorough reporting. Menn concludes: 'A number of enormously powerful national governments, especially those of Russia and China, have picked the blossoming of the internet age as the time to ally with organised crime.'

Author Information

Joseph Menn covers cyber-crime and other technology issues for the Financial Times, after a decade on teh beat for the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of two previous books, and a two-time finalist for the Gerald Loeb Award, the top prize for business reporting.

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