BOOK REVIEW THE FIFTH ELEMENT

Abstract

The fifth element”, by Alejandro Suárez Sánchez-Ocaña is a tale of
espionage, war and terrorism from the perspective of new digital
technologies and their consequences. Written in a fast-paced but easygoing
style, Suárez presents a succession of cyber-attacks, each one hot on the heels of
another, to illustrate the risks and threats posed by cyberspace in 21st century society.
On target in most of his evaluations and supporting data, Alejandro Suárez manages
to raise the reader’s awareness of the vulnerability of the digital world and sensibly
includes a section which also addresses its mitigating factors. Published in 2015, the
book chronicles attacks that have already become classics in a world in constant
evolution and change. Although its conclusions remain valid, the eighteen months
that have gone by since the date of its first edition have meant that numerous and very
significant events are not included.