Future Crimes by Marc Goodman

Future Crimes by Marc Goodman is a book that explores the dark side of technological innovation and the unintended consequences of our connected world. The author provides a futuristic perspective grounded on current case studies, offering a mind-blowing glimpse into the dangers inherent in using today’s highly interconnected web of technologies.

The book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Goodman details how some of the biggest online hacks were carried out. In the second portion, he looks at the challenges of staying secure in the future as more and more household devices are connected to the internet. He finishes the book looking at what we can do to improve online security.

The main themes of the book include the risks posed by future technology, how criminals are carrying out their online attacks, and what we can do to improve online security now and in the future. Goodman emphasizes the importance of educating ourselves about the dangers of the online world, just like we are educated about threats in the real world. He also highlights the fact that everything that connects to the internet is vulnerable and can be hacked, and that human weakness is often exploited by hackers.

Useful takeaways from the book include the need to educate ourselves about online threats, the importance of being aware of safe and dangerous people and places on the internet, and the fact that everything that connects to the internet is vulnerable. The book also provides clear steps we must take to survive the progress unfolding before us, including improving online security and being cautious about sharing secure information online.

What I Liked

I liked how well the guy explains the world we live in. The core premise is that physical crimes have a limit due to things like, gravity, weight, bulkiness, storage, physics, manpower, etc. Digital crimes do not have limits. The more value that we put in the digital world vs the physical world – the weirder and grander crimes will be.

What I Did Not Like

You can’t read this book for a list of things to do to be secure. The whole point is that digital crimes are constantly evolving and changing. You have to adopt a mindset and recurring practice. I don’t blame the author for taking this route (it is correct), but it’s a bit disappointing not to have some current “action items.”