By Maham Zahra Malik
In today’s rapidly evolving world, the strategies and means of warfare have transformed significantly, moving beyond traditional military and border-based conflicts towards hybrid warfare consisting of cyber and information warfare. The concept of information warfare is not new, as it was being used as a tool in the past, and the information was manipulated as a battle plan, just like the Mongol invasions under Genghis Khan in the 13th century. The Mongols spread fear by exaggerating their army’s size through rumors and fake campfires, causing enemy cities to surrender without a fight. Information warfare is conflict between two or more groups in the information environment or as defined by the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (1995), “IW focuses on affecting an adversary’s information environment while defending our own.”
Information warfare aims to spread misleading information in a strategically chosen country in order to influence public opinion for the interest of the other conspiring state by various means such as media platforms and psychological operations. In this process, it is aimed to influence and play with mindsets, belief systems and sentiments of people shaping their opinion, perception and ability to make decisions as an attempt to internally weaken the adversary or opponent state or ultimately overthrow the existing regime, often authoritarian, through mass mobilization, civil disobedience and other non-violent protests(The Color Revolution). Whereas the Cyber warfare is a modern-era strategy that relies on advanced technology and artificial intelligence. The United States Air Force describes cyber war as “the ability to destroy, deny, degrade, disrupt, [and] deceive, while at the same time defending against the enemy’s use of cyberspace for the very same purpose” (Singer, 2014).
Cyber warfare involves the use of digital technologies to target and disrupt a state’s or organization’s critical infrastructure. These attacks can disable websites, communication networks, military systems, financial institutions, and command-and-control mechanisms, undermining a nation’s security and operational capabilities. The tools of cyberwarfare include malware, viruses, worms, phishing attacks, spoofing, Denial-of-Service (DoS) or Distributed DoS (DDoS), ransomware, espionage, network infiltration or sabotage. Stuxnet and Wanna Cry are two of the most notorious cyberattacks in recent history, highlighting the evolving threats in cyber warfare and cybercrime. Stuxnet, discovered in 2010, was an advanced computer worm developed by a state actor that attacked the Iranian Nuclear Reactors and sabotaged its centrifuges causing physical damage. Its primary purpose was to prevent Iran from completing and implementing its nuclear program, thus preventing Iran from emerging as a nuclear state. It was one of the first known cyber weapons designed to cause real-world destruction.
On the other hand, Wanna Cry, which emerged in 2017, was a ransomware attack that affected around 150 countries disrupting their hospitals, businesses, and government agencies worldwide. Nowadays, information warfare is carried out through cyber means and advanced technology, making the task easier and faster. False narratives, propaganda, and disinformation campaigns can be spread instantly across digital platforms. State and non-state actors exploit social media, hacking, and AI tools to manipulate public opinion and destabilize societies.
Russia and China are among the leading nations actively engaged in information warfare operations. Considering Russia as a case study following data and information is collected about its strategy. As of tools, there are three types of information warfare tools that are reported to be used by the Russian government: 1) leakages of personal information, 2) hacking attacks, i.e. creation of automated accounts and bots on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, 3) spread of fake news and conspiracy theories via state-backed broadcasters (Source: “Social Media as a Tool of Hybrid Warfare,” NATO Strat Com COE, 2016). One of the key incidents where Russia tried to intervene in the internal matters of the other states is 2016 US Presidential Elections. Russian hackers broke into the emails of renowned Democratic Figures and the Democratic National Committee (DNC). These stolen emails were then published by the WikiLeaks, in order to build a strong narrative against Hillary Clinton. Russia used thousands of fake accounts, bots, and trolls on platforms like Twitter and Facebook like “Deplorable Network” and “Pizza Gate Conspiracy”. This extensive online campaign and propaganda dramatically changed the course of US election by swaying the public opinion against Hillary Clinton. Consequently, Trump edged out the competition, sealing victory and became President of America.
This entire scenario highlights how technological advancement and artificial intelligence are shifting from being a blessing to becoming a curse for the people. States and political elites are now using these tools for their own interests—manipulating the masses and attempting to pull the wool over their eyes. There is an urgent need to put an end to this manipulation and stop being mere puppets in the hands of these oppressors and bourgeois elites. People must not allow them to control their lives, opinions, or personal information through such deceptive means. Broad awareness campaigns should be launched to make the public more cognizant and alert, so they no longer fall prey to these vicious political games and theatrics. Only by exposing such actors and holding them accountable can we end this cycle of manipulation and move toward a society where everyone is safe, secure, and able to enjoy their fundamental rights.
The author is an independent researcher and her area of interest is technology, society, & politics, and she can be reached at malikmahamzahra@gmail.com
Related
