Lights Out

August 1, 2015
Award-winning journalist and longtime Nightline anchor Koppel (Off Camera: Private Thoughts Made Public, 2000, etc.) sounds the alarm over the likelihood of a devastating cyberattack on the infrastructure of the United States. "We remain distracted to this day by the prospects of retail terrorism when we should be focused on the wholesale threat of cyber catastrophe," writes the author. His concern is an attack on America's three "surprisingly vulnerable" electrical grids, which link some 3,000 electric power companies to distribute electricity nationwide. Taking down a grid would leave millions in a desperate search for light and power. Such an attack can be launched from anywhere, would be difficult to trace, and might involve China or Russia (the greatest threats), terrorist groups, or rogue states. In his engaging account, Koppel draws on interviews with cyber and national security experts as well as the several individuals who have served as homeland security secretary, all of whom concede the likelihood of a cyberattack on the grid-and that there is no federal plan for the aftermath. The book sometimes reads like a litany of conflicting risk assessments by national experts, many of whom insist immediate concerns (from natural disasters to conventional terrorism) demand higher priority than speculative threats. The possibility of serious infrastructure damage is made all the more likely because the grid lacks resiliency, with many smaller power companies unwilling to share information critical to disaster planning because of their privacy and liability concerns. Koppel includes excellent sections on the hindrances to replacing power transformers (they are huge, expensive, made abroad, and difficult to transport) and the steps that "preppers" are taking, especially in self-reliant Western states, where Mormons offer a model for disaster preparedness. Koppel's case for the cyberthreat is strong; government officials seem (perhaps justifiably) preoccupied by other matters, or clueless, or both.

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Starred review from October 1, 2015
A cyberattack on our nation's power grid could cause a national blackout that only 1 in 10 Americans could survive if it lasted a year, according to a government study. The certainty about the prospects of a cyberattack on our power grid is conventional wisdom among many security experts interviewed by award-winning journalist Koppel for this expose on the vulnerability of our infrastructure. The problem is that the vast majority of electrical companies are privately owned, with little incentive to spend billions to protect against a threat they do not believe is real. Koppel draws on interviews with industry officials and security and communication experts, inside and outside of the government, for a harrowing look at the threats we face and our utter lack of preparedness. China and Russia have already penetrated our grid network, and experts predict that North Korea and stateless terrorist groups are capable of and willing to launch attacks to disable our basic infrastructure. Meanwhile, FEMA, the agency most often assumed to handle disasters, has no plans for the aftermath of a cyberattack. Koppel explores lessons learned from preppers, survivalists, and Mormons on how to prepare for disaster but warns that a larger, government-led effort is needed.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

Starred review from November 1, 2015

Veteran ABC television newsman Koppel has worked with big problems for most of his career. Here he looks primarily at the electrical grid supporting our modern society. Koppel examines how an attack on it might take place, originating from both other nations and individuals; how unprepared the U.S. government and companies are to deal with such an event; and how difficult it will be for citizens and organizations to cope with a long-term outage (of months or even years). The experts Koppel interviewed, and the other sources he consulted all highlight the interconnectedness and vulnerability of this vital infrastructure and what we must do to protect it. One theme is that we have long been a reactive society, when a vigorous and coordinated proactive approach, while expensive, would return much better results in the long run. The threat is real, complicated, and growing; as it stands, individual survival if the lights go out will be extremely hard. VERDICT Easy to read and understand; recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, 5/4/15.]--Daniel Blewett, Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015

According to Koppel, a four-decades-plus veteran of ABC News who has won literally dozens of awards (e.g., 42 Emmys), America is completely unprepared for the consequences of a major cyberattack on its power grid, which would be no light, heat, running water, or sewage treatment and no place to get information or money. At least he suggests ways to protect ourselves.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2015

Veteran ABC television newsman Koppel has worked with big problems for most of his career. Here he looks primarily at the electrical grid supporting our modern society. Koppel examines how an attack on it might take place, originating from both other nations and individuals; how unprepared the U.S. government and companies are to deal with such an event; and how difficult it will be for citizens and organizations to cope with a long-term outage (of months or even years). The experts Koppel interviewed, and the other sources he consulted all highlight the interconnectedness and vulnerability of this vital infrastructure and what we must do to protect it. One theme is that we have long been a reactive society, when a vigorous and coordinated proactive approach, while expensive, would return much better results in the long run. The threat is real, complicated, and growing; as it stands, individual survival if the lights go out will be extremely hard. VERDICT Easy to read and understand; recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, 5/4/15.]--Daniel Blewett, Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.