
The Language of Cyber Attacks
A Rhetoric of Deception
Aaron Mauro(Author)
Bloomsbury Academic (Publisher)
Published on 3. October 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-1-350-35467-8 (ISBN)
Description
Many cyberattacks begin with a lure: a seemingly innocent message designed to establish trust with a target to obtain sensitive information or compromise a computer system. The perils of clicking an unknown link or divulging sensitive information via email are well-known, so why do we continue to fall prey to these malicious messages? This groundbreaking book examines the rhetoric of deception through the lure, asking where its all-too-human allure comes from and suggesting ways in which we can protect ourselves online.
Examining practices and tools such as phishing, ransomware and clickbait, this book uses case studies of notorious cyberattacks by both cyber criminals and nation-states on organizations such Facebook, Google, and the US Department of Defence, and in-depth, computational analyses of the messages themselves to unpack the rhetoric of cyberattacks. In doing so, it helps us to understand the small but crucial moments of indecision that pervade one of the most common forms of written communication.
Examining practices and tools such as phishing, ransomware and clickbait, this book uses case studies of notorious cyberattacks by both cyber criminals and nation-states on organizations such Facebook, Google, and the US Department of Defence, and in-depth, computational analyses of the messages themselves to unpack the rhetoric of cyberattacks. In doing so, it helps us to understand the small but crucial moments of indecision that pervade one of the most common forms of written communication.
Reviews / Votes
Aaron Mauro offers a fascinating exploration of the rhetoric of hacking, a valuable contribution to several fields, from the study of hacking, to rhetoric, to cultural studies more broadly; this book strikes me as an original, creative, and appealing work. * Nathan Schneider, Assistant Professor of Media Studies, University of Colorado Boulder, USA * A fascinating consideration of a timely topic, via a human-centred approach; Mauro explores the real human allure of cyber attacks and the value of understanding them at a human level. * Raymond Siemens, Distinguished Professor, University of Victoria, Canada *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 214 mm
Width: 135 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
312 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-350-35467-8 (9781350354678)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2024
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€20.99
Available for download

E-Book
09/2024
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Academic
€20.99
Available for download
Person
Aaron Mauro is Assistant Professor of Digital Media at Brock University, Canada.
Content
1. Cybersecurity as an Expression of Values
2. The Attribution Problem
3. Automatic Anxiety
4. Conti Leaks
Selected Bibliography
Index
2. The Attribution Problem
3. Automatic Anxiety
4. Conti Leaks
Selected Bibliography
Index