The book Manipulated was written from the front lines of a cyber warrior. After assessing what happened in global elections in 2016 and 2018, Theresa offers her predictions for where we are headed in 2020. Given her uncanny ability to predict where cybercriminals will attack next, all of us would do well to listen – including our elected officials and Big Tech. What will the world look like if this meddling continues? The fight requires government actions, a commitment from social media companies, tech giants, and all of us, locking arms and working together. The end of Manipulated includes a how-to guide for global governments and citizens, empowering the reader to take action.
Manipulated begins each chapter with a brief fictionalized story about what’s going on out there among hackers, politicians, criminals, and others, creating a ‘spy thriller’ thread throughout the book. Chapters then go into different aspects of digital manipulation, exploring real life situations and examples taken from today’s headlines and behind-the-scenes experiences of the author.
Manipulated covers riveting explorations of events over the past decade as well as current happenings not in the public eye. Theresa has a keen sense of extrapolating today’s cybercrime methods into tomorrow’s unknown threat vectors. She leaves everyone with hope by providing the reader with a how to guide to deflect manipulation campaigns.
With the COVID-19 pandemic globally and upcoming elections in the United States, we all are subjected to ongoing propaganda and manipulation campaigns. Theresa Payton's new book Manipulated walks the reader step by step how to spot any kind of misinformation or manipulation campaign, explains how to understand who is behind it, and what their motives are. Any reader will be shocked to learn all of their true motivations. I highly recommend reading this newly published book!
Theresa Payton’s experience, intelligence, and passion reach off the pages of Manipulated to shake our shoulders and us up. This isn’t fiction, and it isn’t a movie script, it is a testimonial aimed to clear the fog in our information-overloaded world, and demand that we go back to our foundations – that truth is a requirement and needs tending, that foreign interference isn’t acceptable in how we make free choices, and that we’re not bystanders. Read this book, twice, and see her justification for the included blueprints to big tech, governments, and all of us to restore those essential foundations. Apathy, ignorance, and misperception are what others want, Payton wants quite the opposite.
In light of the misinformation that is constantly assaulting ALL of our ‘newsfeeds’, & the threat to our democracy via cyber warfare and cyber security, this is a book you should order TODAY.
first female U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat pilot and autho Carey Lohrenz
Manipulated traces the rise of disinformation in today’s connected world and why the problem for free and open societies is only becoming more acute. While covert influence has been a feature of statecraft in modern history, what’s new is the ease and scale that nation-states – or private groups – can mislead audiences, distort truth, besmirch brands, foment political strife or agitate social cleavages with a few well-placed socket puppets and amplification networks. Having been on the front lines of cyber intelligence for two decades, Theresa offers tangible solutions to safeguard the information commons and protect our digital world.
Theresa Payton has dedicated her life’s work to the mission of protecting others and pushing for pragmatic solutions. Manipulated is entertaining, informative, in some cases, even scary and downright shocking. A must-read, it serves as a wake-up call for all of us.
With decades of experience in cyber conflict, Theresa Payton is the perfect guide to help us understand our new era of hacked elections and non-stop disinformation campaigns. Fortunately, Manipulated doesn’t stop there: Payton gives us a call to action and clear recommendations for how individual citizens, big tech corporations, governments, and the international community of democratic nations can push back and win.
Theresa Payton’s book on emerging security threats in cyberspace will pry your eyes wide-open to what is at stake for elections around the world, and other shenanigans involving your digital identity. After reading it you will understand why we are living in such divisive times and you will be much wiser when developing your online presence.
Manipulated takes on what is arguably the most important issue facing Americans today: the global digital war on democracy being waged by our geopolitical adversaries. Indeed, as she explains, most of the world is threatened by cyber election meddling. The basic story is familiar to people who follow the news. Russian and Chinese state actors, along with cyberwar units in Iran and elsewhere, are using highly sophisticated digital technologies to shift American public opinion and even hack the election infrastructure itself. What Payton does so skillfully in the book, though, is to flesh out the frightening reality of America’s true vulnerability to foreign manipulation of its political process. Payton comes to this task with strong credentials. She was the first woman to serve as White House CIO, under President George W. Bush. Now, Payton is CEO of Fortalice Solutions, a cybersecurity and intelligence services firm. She brings an experienced eye to a subject that can be overwhelming and bewildering to most Americans.
Payton, an expert in cybersecurity, sounds a clarion call that our political process is at risk and explains why and how it is being assailed by foreign and domestic enemies of democracy. Many conservatives may want to dismiss Payton’s arguments, since she places much of the blame for the situation at the feet of current Republican leadership. But Payton can’t be dismissed as a liberal Democratic cynic, since her credentials are firmly rooted in the work she did for the George W. Bush administration. Payton clearly knows her stuff [and] she paints a timely, frightening picture.
With decades of experience in cyber conflict, Payton is the perfect guide to help us understand our new era of hacked elections and non-stop disinformation campaigns. Fortunately, MANIPULATED doesn't stop there: Payton gives us a call to action and clear recommendations for how individual citizens, big tech corporations, governments, and the international community of democratic nations can push back and win” —Emilian Papadopoulos, President, Good Harbor Cyber Security Risk Management
"MANIPULATED covers riveting explorations of events over the past decade as well as current happenings not in the public eye. Theresa has a keen sense of extrapolating today's cybercrime methods into tomorrow's unknown threat vectors. She leaves everyone with hope by providing the reader with a how to guide to deflect manipulation campaigns." —Scott Schober, CEO of BVS, Author, Cyber Expert.
"Theresa Payton's experience, intelligence, and passion reach off the pages of MANIPULATED to shake our shoulders and us up. This isn't fiction, and it isn't a movie script, it is a testimonial aimed to clear the fog in our information-overloaded world, and demand that we go back to our foundations - that truth is a requirement and needs tending, that foreign interference isn't acceptable in how we make free choices, and that we're not bystanders. Read this book, twice, and see her justification for the included blueprints to big tech, governments, and all of us to restore those essential foundations. Apathy, ignorance, and misperception are what others want, Payton wants quite the opposite." —John N. Stewart, SVP, Chief Security and Trust Officer CISCO
“MANIPULATED begins each chapter with a brief fictionalized story about what's going on out there among hackers, politicians, criminals, and others, creating a 'spy thriller' thread throughout the book. Chapters then go into different aspects of digital manipulation, exploring real life situations and examples taken from today's headlines and behind-the-scenes experiences of the author.” —Haiyan Song, Silicon Valley Executive in Cyber Security
"Anyone that reads the news, watches TV or is on social networks needs to read this book! You are being manipulated and this book gives you the tools to recognize when you're being manipulated and how to stop it!" —Eric Anderson, Cyber Security Leader, Seattle
Payton, an expert in cybersecurity, sounds a clarion call that our political process is at risk and explains why and how it is being assailed by foreign and domestic enemies of democracy. Many conservatives may want to dismiss Payton’s arguments, since she places much of the blame for the situation at the feet of current Republican leadership. But Payton can’t be dismissed as a liberal Democratic cynic, since her credentials are firmly rooted in the work she did for the George W. Bush administration. Payton clearly knows her stuff [and] she paints a timely, frightening picture.
