The Future of Hacking: The Rise of Cybercrime and the Fight to Keep Us Safe

(Hardback)

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In a world, where cyber threats evolve daily, the line between hacker and hero is thinner than you think.

Hacking is often associated with cybercriminals lurking in the shadows, stealing data, and disrupting digital systems. But the reality of hacking is far more complexand far more relevant to our everyday livesthan most people realize. The Future of Hacking explores the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, ethical hacking, and digital defense, revealing how hacking has transformed from an underground practice to a mainstream issue that affects governments, businesses, and individuals alike.

Drawing on years of research and over 30 in-depth interviews with cybersecurity professionals from around the world, including experts from San Francisco, Seoul, Cape Town, Paris, and Bengaluru, this book offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the people working to protect our digital future. From ethical hackers uncovering security vulnerabilities to policymakers shaping the rules of the digital world, The Future of Hacking sheds light on the critical role of cybersecurity in todays interconnected society.

This book delves into key issues such as cyber awareness, internet freedom, and the policies that shape how we navigate an increasingly digital world. It also highlights the experiences of those impacted by cybercrimeboth victims and defendersoffering insight into the real-world consequences of data breaches, ransomware attacks, and digital surveillance.

Designed for both tech-savvy readers and those new to the subject, The Future of Hacking makes complex cybersecurity concepts accessible while maintaining the depth of expert knowledge. As cyber threats become more sophisticated and pervasive, understanding the evolving role of hacking is no longer optionalits essential. This book will challenge what you think you know about hackers and leave you better prepared for the digital challenges of tomorrow.

Reviews

Technology advances but so do online risks. Thats why cybersecurity awareness is crucial in todays digital age, everyone should know how to protect themselves against the ever-evolving landscape of cyberthreats. - Surfshark Media - Press Team
In The Future of Hacking Looks Different Than You Think, Scherling shakes up typical cyber-narratives, revealing that hacking isnt just the stuff of Hollywood villains, but rather a driving force in shaping our digital world. Blending media theory, design history, and real-world case studies, Scherling maps hackings journey from underground mischief to an essential pillar of cybersecurity. With a sharp eye on the future, Scherling argues that security isnt just about stopping bad actors, its about designing systems that are resilient from the ground up. A must-read for anyone who wants to rethink hacking as both a problem and a solution. - Sarah Edmands Martin - Designer and Educator
The Future of Hacking is a compelling read for tech nerds and laypeople alike. Our lives are now all run by computer technology, digital data, and the internet. Historians teach history so that we can learn from the past. Scherling's book makes fascinating connections between the history of cybercrime and how the cyber threat landscape may evolve. This impacts everybody. - Kim Crawley - Cybersecurity professor, OPIT Author of Hacker Culture: A to Z (O'Reilly Media)
As a hacker, I love books like this because they unravel the always-shifting digital battlefield---where shadows lurk, defenses falter, and resilience is forged. They capture the pulse of a world where curiosity fuels rebellion, new guardians rise, and awareness becomes armor. In the end, the future belongs to the prepared. - Chris Spirito - University of Tartu
Often opaque-by-design, the worlds of cybercrime and cybersecurity resist clear story-telling and accessible explanations. But there are so many rich tales to tell, with portents for everywhere technology reaches today. Dr. Scherling captures the key moments and main actors who shaped the path of ethical hacking and shares lessons for those overseeing cybersecurity operations, whether offense, defense, or in between. But her larger achievement is showing that what once occurred in shadowy corners of the internet now impacts our basic societal systems and fundamental rights. I will eagerly share this with students and colleagues as it opens the door into a distant world that's becoming more familiar every day. - Peter Micek - Associate Professor, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia-SIPA
An engaging introduction to cybersecurity and ethical hacking concerns. - Georgia Wiedman - Author, Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to Hacking

Author Bio

Laura S. Scherling, EdD is a lecturer at Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and a director at Columbia University School of Professional Studies, co-founder of GreenspaceNYC, and founder of the Cyber Care Institute. She has published in numerous academic and popular journals and is co-editor of Ethics in Design and Communication: Critical Perspectives, editor of Digital Transformation in Design: Processes and Practices, and author of Product Design, Technology, and Social Change. Scherling lives in New York City with her husband, son, her dog Maggie, and her cat Maxine.