Canceled: Dreams, Genes, & Machines: Are We Living Science Fiction?

Kim Zetter and Eric Chien In conversation
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 | 7:30pm Mark Taper Auditorium-Central Library

This ALOUD program is canceled.

 

From international hacking of American elections to the violation of privacy in our own homes, we are under constant surveillance—and threat. Two of today’s leading experts in cybersecurity team up for an urgent conversation about protecting our livelihood in the digital age. Kim Zetter is an award-winning investigative journalist who has covered cybersecurity and national security for more than a decade, most notably for Wired. Discussing her book, Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World’s First Digital Weapon, which follows the story of a sophisticated virus/worm developed by the U.S. and Israel to covertly sabotage Iran’s nuclear program, Zetter will be joined by Eric Chien, a Fellow of Symantec’s Security Technology and Response division. In this role, Chien leads a team of engineers and threat hunters that investigate and reverse-engineer the latest high-impact Internet security attacks—those that might hold clues to bigger trends developing or are otherwise of particular interest. Where are we most vulnerable? How do we defend our homeland and our homes from cyber attacks? Get up to speed with this ALOUD intelligence briefing.

Kim Zetter

Kim Zetter is an award-winning investigative journalist who has covered cybersecurity and national security for more than a decade, most notably for Wired, where she wrote for thirteen years, and more recently for the New York Times Magazine, Politico, Washington Post, Motherboard, and Yahoo News. She has broken numerous national stories over the years about NSA and FBI surveillance, nation-state hacking attacks, election security, and more. An expert on national security, Zetter is also a leading expert on cyber warfare and wrote an acclaimed book on the topic, Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World’s First Digital Weapon.

Eric Chien

Eric Chien serves as a Fellow of Symantec’s Security Technology and Response division. In this role, Chien leads a team of engineers and threat hunters that investigate and reverse-engineer the latest high-impact Internet security attacks–those that might hold clues to bigger trends developing or are otherwise of particular interest. Via these attack techniques and trends, he develops and drives threat intelligence and novel security solutions to prevent and mitigate against the next big attack.

As such, Chien was one of the lead authors of Symantec’s groundbreaking research on the revolutionary Stuxnet malware, and he has become one of the security industry’s foremost authorities on this threat.

Photo: “Assemble of electronic components” courtesy of TESSA, the digital collections of the Los Angeles Public Library.
Description: Pictured is the pilot line for the soldering and assembly of electronic components for computer circuit cards in Collins Radio Co.’s Information Science Center in Newport Beach, Calif., February 26, 1965.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why do programs fill so quickly?

    ALOUD provides a unique experience for the public to engage with scholars, authors, and artists in the intimate 235-seat Mark Taper Auditorium. Library Foundation Members have the benefit of reserving for programs in advance of the public. Consider joining as a Member to receive this benefit, and check the website on an on-going basis for program availability. Be sure to subscribe to our email alerts, and visit our Media Archive for podcasts and other items from our recent programs.

  • Where does ALOUD take place?

    Unless otherwise noted, ALOUD programs are held at the downtown Central Library’s Mark Taper Auditorium.

  • Where should I park?

    We recommend taking public transportation. Parking for the Central Library is at the Westlawn Garage at 524 S. Flower Street. For more information, visit the Library’s website.

  • Should I purchase the author’s book in advance?

    We encourage you to purchase books from the Library Store. All proceeds benefit the Los Angeles Public Library. Books are made available for purchase when you reserve for a program online, and are also on sale at programs. In order to participate in the book signing, you must purchase at least one book from The Library Store. Members receive discounts on purchases.

  • Where can I find podcasts and videos of ALOUD programs?

    Podcasts and videos from our programs are available free online at our growing Media Archive. Visit the archive at lfla.org/media-archive to explore hundreds of podcasts and videos spanning 20+ years of ALOUD’s history bringing authors, artists, and t thinkers to the Los Angeles Public Library.