This is a book by Andy Greenberg, published in 2012. It tells the story of WikiLeaks, the whistleblowing website founded by Julian Assange, and the cypherpunks, the group of computer scientists and activists who developed the cryptography tools that WikiLeaks uses to protect its sources.

The book begins with a brief history of cryptography, from the ancient Greeks to the present day. It then introduces the cypherpunks, a group of computer scientists and activists who were inspired by the idea of using cryptography to protect individual privacy and free speech. The cypherpunks believed that cryptography could be used to create a “free and open society” in which individuals could communicate with each other without fear of government surveillance or censorship.

In the early 2000s, the famouse Julian Assange, became involved with the cypherpunks. Assange was inspired by their ideas, and he began to develop a new website that would allow whistleblowers to anonymously leak classified information to the public. This website, which eventually became known as WikiLeaks, quickly became a major source of leaked government documents.

Greenberg’s book tells the story of WikiLeaks from its inception to its rise to prominence. It profiles the cypherpunks who founded WikiLeaks, and it provides a detailed account of the website’s most significant leaks. The book also explores the legal and ethical implications of WikiLeaks’ work, and it considers the future of whistleblowing in the digital age.

This Machine Kills Secrets is a well-researched and informative book that provides a valuable overview of the WikiLeaks story. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of cryptography, the rise of whistleblowing, or the future of privacy in the digital age.