Hagestad - 21st century Chinese cyberwarfare : an examination of the Chinese cyberthreat from fundamentals of Communist policy regarding information warfare through the broad range of military, civilian and

If you know the enemy and know yourself you need not fear the results of a hundred battles.

Sun Tzu

Time is an interesting word. When we think about time and more specifically how cultures, countries, and technology evolve with time we realize the only certainty is the past. The author of this book has spent a lot of time, more than 27 years in fact, studying cultures in a military capacity. To know an adversary intimately is to respect their capability and understand their perspective. Lieutenant Colonel William Hagestad is considered an expert on the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) because of the time he spent analyzing the capabilities of the PLA during his tenure in the United States Marine Corps. But his expertise also includes the culture of China and how the Chinese leverage technology. Bill has travelled extensively all over the world, served in many different military theaters and this book represents the nexus of his experiences.

21st Century Chinese Cyberwarfare is not just another text describing the information warfare capability of the Chinese. Moreover this book is about time, and also about understanding. Through the eyes of Lt. Col. Hagestad, the reader gains insight into the culture, history and language of the Chinese. These three things are significant drivers of ideology, military or otherwise, and the author educates the reader as to their importance in China. Ideology often inspires or determines a particular action and in terms of security, it is often helpful to understand the ideology of your adversary. Understanding information technology, information security, and the challenges an interconnected world face in the digital age are equally important. As readers, we have the unique privilege to benefit from Lt. Col. Hagestads experience and through his analysis we gain a better appreciation for the driving forces behind many of the stories currently reported today regarding Chinese electronic warfare.

Finally, many people have a limited understanding as to the military capability of their country or other countries for that matter. The images of tanks, planes and troops marching across deserts can be found daily in a number of newspapers or magazines. If we think about time and the evolution of warfare, we realize that military strategy has changed but the tools used to accomplish the mission have evolved at a far greater pace. Knowing how to use the tools and knowing how to deploy the tools in the most appropriate manner are equally important. Behind the scenes, there are many critical functions that most people never see on CNN as the troops march by. Those critical functions for protecting the security of a nation are explored by the author and because of his experience in the United States Marine Corps we are provided rare insight to the most awesome of capabilities any military brings to bear.

I hope you enjoy reading 21st Century Chinese Cyberwarfare and challenge yourself to keep an open mind as you turn the pages.

Mike

Michael L Kearn, CISSP