Last Updated on May 14, 2022 by ellen
My father worked at AT&T in their computer division years ago so I grew up being fascinated with computers and what they were capable of. Of course, today’s computers are nothing like the computers 40 years ago. They are so much more complex and the dangers of Cyberwar are much more real. A product was provided for my review, but the story is my own.
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Nova: Cyberwar Threat on DVD
The global cyberwar is heating up, and the stakes are no longer limited to the virtual world of computers. Now, sophisticated cyber weapons unleashed via the Internet can inflict physical damage—destroying control systems that regulate everything from food factories, gas pipelines, power plants and chemical facilities to the elevators in our buildings.
It may seem farfetched that a computer program can wreak destruction from a distance. But the United States is investing billions of dollars in this new form of warfare—and we’re not alone. Allies and enemies alike are rushing to develop these weapons. But what will this new arms race mean for our future? Will it make the U.S. more vulnerable to cyber attacks and retaliation?
In this gripping new documentary, NOVA gains unprecedented and unrestricted access to an archive of top-secret NSA documents taken by former cyber warrior, Edward Snowden. They detail how the United States, its allies and its enemies are all searching for offensive cyber weapons and how America’s quest for dominance may inadvertently be putting the US at risk.
Featuring a one-of-a-kind interview with Edward Snowden as well as former NSA employees, leading cyber-security specialists, defense experts and government officials, pioneers in cryptology and investigative journalists who have probed the murky realm of criminal and strategic hacking, the program takes viewers around the globe to explore the invention of this new technology-driven mode of warfare and some of the actual cases in which it has been used to attack real targets. The film will also reveal, through NSA’s own documents, how cyber attacks may unfold and how difficult they will be to defend.
In the past, the world was largely dependent on an infrastructure of hardwires linking switches to equipment and devices. Then came the Internet, at first simply a new means of peaceful communication but now the internet has also become a massive industrial switch, enabling global critical infrastructures to be remotely controlled, modernizing everything from water purification systems to the national electrical grids. But those advances come with a risk: the possibility for anyone with a laptop, and the right set of instructions, to penetrate the porous web of signals that link these systems together.
This is really a fascinating look into the world of not only hacking but how it relates to attacks on different countries. Not all hackers are trying to get information for financial gain like the credit card hackers. Some hackers are trying to start wars or cripple different countries. Highly recommend!
Nova: Cyberwar Threat is available now on DVD for $24.99.
Ellen is a mom of a 25-year-old son and 30-year-old daughter. She is Grandma to one adorable toddler. In what little spare time she has, she loves to read, watch movies, and check out the latest toys and games.
My sister worked in the computer area for years and now is retired from that work. I learned a thing or two from the new CBS series CSI — about cyber crimes. Pretty scary how your whole life can be hacked!
I totally agree, Deb. This movie was fascinating!