In November 2008, the Conficker worm appeared and began spreading through computers across the globe, forming a massive botnet capable of wreaking digital havoc. Its creator was unknown and its purpose unclear, and a top-notch security team was assembled to stop it. Journalist Mark Bowden (Black Hawk Down) turns what could have been an arcane report into a crackerjack tale--Worm is accessible and compelling despite its somewhat technical subject matter.
The opening chapters provide a history of computer viruses that should be required reading for anyone whose job involves an Internet connection. Then, having provided the necessary background for cyber-security novices, Bowden segues into the story of the team that gathered to fight Conficker, which is even more fascinating. Security experts from around the country coalesced into what they began calling the Cabal and started tracking the virus, trying to get ahead of the black hats and quarantine the aggressive worm. That's when the inevitable interpersonal drama and infighting began, even as they tried desperately to get the federal government's attention. Bowden's respect for these guys comes across loud and clear; he frequently compares them to the X-Men. The story is also terrifying: the Cabal fighting Conficker didn't win so much as their antagonist went quiet. What's more, Worm illustrates the difficulty of keeping a virus contained in a world where the large majority of computers run Windows and not enough people download security patches. --Kelly Faircloth, freelance writer