Lights Out

A Cyberattack, a Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath

By: Ted Koppel

Narrated by: Ted Koppel

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Ted Koppel reveals that a major cyberattack on America’s power grid is not only possible but likely, that it would be devastating, and that the United States is shockingly unprepared.

“Fascinating, frightening, and beyond timely.”—Anderson Cooper

Imagine a blackout lasting not days, but weeks or months. Tens of millions of people over several states are affected. For those without access to a generator, there is no running water, no sewage, no refrigeration or light. Food and medical supplies are dwindling. Devices we rely on have gone dark. Banks no longer function, looting is widespread, and law and order are being tested as never before.

It isn’t just a scenario. A well-designed attack on just one of the nation’s three electric power grids could cripple much of our infrastructure—and in the age of cyberwarfare, a laptop has become the only necessary weapon. Several nations hostile to the United States could launch such an assault at any time. In fact, as a former chief scientist of the NSA reveals, China and Russia have already penetrated the grid. And a cybersecurity advisor to President Obama believes that independent actors—from “hacktivists” to terrorists—have the capability as well. “It’s not a question of if,” says Centcom Commander General Lloyd Austin, “it’s a question of when.”

And yet, as Koppel makes clear, the federal government, while well prepared for natural disasters, has no plan for the aftermath of an attack on the power grid. The current Secretary of Homeland Security suggests keeping a battery-powered radio.

In the absence of a government plan, some individuals and communities have taken matters into their own hands. Among the nation’s estimated three million “preppers,” we meet one whose doomsday retreat includes a newly excavated three-acre lake, stocked with fish, and a Wyoming homesteader so self-sufficient that he crafted the thousands of adobe bricks in his house by hand. We also see the unrivaled disaster preparedness of the Mormon church, with its enormous storehouses, high-tech dairies, orchards, and proprietary trucking company—the fruits of a long tradition of anticipating the worst. But how, Koppel asks, will ordinary civilians survive?

With urgency and authority, one of our most renowned journalists examines a threat unique to our time and evaluates potential ways to prepare for a catastrophe that is all but inevitable.

©2015 Ted Koppel (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Ted Koppel's unparalleled reporting skills are on full display in Lights Out. A fascinating and frightening look at just how vulnerable we are to a cyber attack." (Anderson Cooper)

" Lights Out is a timely warning about the vulnerability of America to a massive cyber attack that would cripple all we take for granted - electricity, communication, transportation. This is not science fiction. Hats off to Ted Koppel for putting us all on alert." (Tom Brokaw)

Gripping, Timely, and Reflective

Journalists, Ted writes in this book, at some point must make a "gut check" as to whether or not they trust a source. Having grown up watching Ted on TV every night, I've come to trust both his reporting and journalistic instincts, as shown in his choice of topics to bring to our collective attention. It is with this trust in mind that I began this book, and it is a main reason that it truly frightened me.

"Lights Out" is a cautionary tale of the threats posed by a new technological age, not yet fully realized by the public or policy makers, and provides definite and far-reaching implications across all aspects of society. Not only does it challenge us to rethink the means by which we prepare (or do not prepare) for catastrophic events, it challenges us to rethink our basic relationship with the Internet, privacy, and government.

The book succeeds as a solid piece of journalism at alarming, informing, and posing numerous questions at the reader, in a digestible manner than never feels panicked, judging, or exaggerated.

Much needed spotlight on major issue

Any additional comments?

An incisive look at the existential threat of a cyberattack on our power grid. This book is streamlined and eminently readable, well-sourced and clear eyed. Koppel's far-ranging access and variety of interviewees paints a disturbing picture of our unpreparedness for a very real threat (though any student of psychology will be unsurprised at the lack of urgency - we humans are awful at prediction and planning for disaster unless we clearly see the disaster coming). Koppel has interviewed various federal officials, state and local entities, private sector participants, and a range of people who most would call "preppers." In the end he does not come away with a solution - the fact is that there is no way to make any cyber sphere entirely secure - but does come away with some advice, some comparable situations in history (at least moderately, as there has never been a time that an entire populace was so densely packed and so utterly unequipped to survive without electricity, especially considering electricity is new), and a spotlight on our glaring lack of a plan. If nothing else, it should be a wake-up call to at least start addressing areas crying out for preventitive action, as well as sketching out what to do in a worse-case-scenario.

Too one sided

Would you try another book from Ted Koppel and/or Ted Koppel?

Yes, he is a credible reporter

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most interesting: His memoir in the last chapter.

Least interesting: The Mormons. OK, there's a bishop that has the key to the food locker and if he deems your in need you get help. How does this avoid the same human factor every other help organization has?

Have you listened to any of Ted Koppel’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Compared to Nightline, this sounds more personal.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

no

Any additional comments?

There are a lot of ways high-tech can fail, but mostly no one wants massive failure.

I believe the direst need in the world is for people exposed to instant death from tsunami, earthquake, drought and rising sea levels. The should be some focus on preparing for a failure of the national grid, this is a big part of the book; but, not to the extent this book suggest. Asking for too much in the face of need is likely to result in nothing at all.

Very informative!

Ted Koppel did a fantastic research job on this little discussed vulnerability. This really raised my awareness of what it means to be prepared for a disaster of any sort. Very understandable description of how our power grid works. Mr. Koppel does a journalists job of presenting facts and leaving it to the listener (reader) to decide how to use the information .

very informative

very good look into just how unprepared this country is. A must read for those who prepare themselves for an uncertain future

Timely information

Very interesting information and definitely food for thought. There was a lot of information packed into this book but it’s easy to understand and truly be frightened of the ‘what if’s.”
My only complaint is that Ted Koppel speaks very slow but this was easily fixed be increasing the speed.
It’s definitely worth the time spent listening and rewinding to listen again.

A must read ! scary and a page Turner

As usual Ted Koppel doesn't disappoint. informative , rich in research and reads often like a novel. I have started preparing after its read. Great journalism!

Get Ready For This

Lights Out highlights the current risk and lack of preparation the population faces and the almost inevitable damage we can face. The Internet is a blessing and a curse. How we chose to prepare is a National issue that needs massive attention from the new generation as many of us mature denizens can't see beyond the past to develop a strategy. Just MHO.

Sobering

Well researched, compiled and delivered. With Russia invading Ukraine, I felt it would be an appropriate time to read this one. Glad I did. So easy to get distracted by tanks and mortars and ignore this type of threat. Quite sobering indeed.

Side note: the book I finished just prior to this was a Great Courses series on complex systems. I was thrilled to hear the author incorporating these concepts immediately and consistently throughout the book. The juxtaposition was quite serendipitous for myself and significantly bolsters the author’s thesis in my eyes.

Fascinating

This book is very educational and should be included in college and university libraries. It has changed my life and the way I look at not only the power grid, but all disasters.