Information Warfare (IW)

Principles of Information Warfare

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the fundamental concepts needed to understand the broad spectrum of activities encompassed by the Information Warfare phenomenon. It provides a theoretical background to these activities, and examines the context in which these are most effective.

Published In

Volume 1, Issue 1

A Systems View of Information Warfare

ABSTRACT

This paper is a conceptual discussion in system theory of information warfare as an open system, and sets new demands on how to approach and manage such systems. By arguing for an open system approach, such as Intuitive Battle Dynamics, it appears to be possible to understand and also to handle and manage a complex problem, such as information warfare. This could lead to Commanders changing their way of using systems with both physical and psychological components in order to master the information warfare concept in clever ways.

Published In

Volume 1, Issue 1

Written By

Henrik Friman

The Impact of Architecture and Interoperability on Information Warfare Systems

ABSTRACT

Interoperability of hardware, software systems, and data has been an issue since the inception of those terms. With the proliferation of, and our growing dependence upon Information Warfare (IW), Command and Control Warfare (C2W), and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, interoperability has become a significant concern and the subject of much debate. Interoperability is one of several well-defined attributes of information systems. But in order to produce a well-behaved system containing these attributes an architecture, and architectural concepts must first be developed and followed.

Published In

Volume 1, Issue 1

Know Your Enemy, Know Your Allies: Lessons Not Learned from the Kosovo Conflict

ABSTRACT

There appears to be a world of difference between NATO’s war over Kosovo in 1999 and the US-led war in Afghanistan 2001. The former was a limited war waged with the active involvement of NATO member countries against an identifiable enemy in well-known terrain, whereas the recent war in Afghanistan seems to lack any of these characteristics. Despite the differences, however, US media management in the first weeks of the war in Afghanistan have been hauntingly familiar for observers of previous conflicts. While mistakes will clearly always be made in times of crisis and war, the US efforts to shape the Information Space outside its own territory demonstrates that certain lessons should and could have been drawn from the Kosovo conflict – if the US is genuinely serious about enlisting the aid of its allies in its struggle with global terrorism.

Published In

Volume 1, Issue 3

Written By

Kristina Riegert

Information Era Manoeuvre: The Australian-Led Mission To East Timor

ABSTRACT

Several recent international military operations have been criticised, but one success story stands in contrast – the Australian-led mission to East Timor. Australia has a history of seeking to ‘punch above its weight’ with stealth, and battle cunning, backed up with, but not driven by, kinetic capabilities. This paper sets out emergent thoughts on the Australian way of war and the growing awareness of ‘Information Operations’ and Perception Management in Australian military doctrine that preceded the East Timor operation. Australia’s disciplined, restrained and self-deprecating approach helped bind together a 22-nation ‘coalition of the willing’, demonstrating the application of a manoeuvreist mindset adapted for the mass-media information era. The result in East Timor was a method that relied largely on a ‘tactics and television’ approach to accomplish the mission with minimal fighting and collateral damage to the region. The success of this approach would suggest that this form of Information Era manoeuvre is valid for the military challenges of today and beyond.

Published In

Volume 1, Issue 3

Written By

John Blaxland

2D Versus 3D Tactical Supremacy in Urban Operations

ABSTRACT

This paper revises Boyd’s OODA loop incorporating 3D tactics. 3D tactics is defined as tactics in the third dimension which is the space above and below ground level in land and urban operations. This paper investigates the key difference between 3D tactics and more conventional tactics, based on people thinking linearly, which in effect is a form of two-dimensional tactical analysis (2D Tactics). This problem is also fundamentally linked to developing a counter terrorism analysis applicable to mass gathering space in civil urban places, which is not adequately addressed in contemporary tactical theory; which however is addressed by Boyd’s OODA loop incorporating 3D tactics.

Published In

Volume 8, Issue 2

The Future Roles of Electronic Warfare in the Information Warfare Spectrum

ABSTRACT

As the concept of the battlefield changes and the focus shifts towards the dominance of the 'Info-sphere', the role of information and information systems becomes more prominent. As an ever-increasing proportion of the information and communications technology is becoming wireless, electronic warfare (EW) may find new roles and 'targets.' This paper will explore the future roles that EW could play as a discipline within the Information Warfare (IW) construct, and examines possible 'relationships' and influence EW will have on other functional areas of IW, by analysing technological trends in conflicts.

Published In

Volume 8, Issue 3

An Emergent Security Risk: Critical Infrastructures and Information Warfare

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the emergent security risk that information warfare poses to critical infrastructure systems, particularly as governments are increasingly concerned with protecting these assets against attack or disruption. Initially it outlines critical infrastructure systems and the notion of information warfare. It then discusses the potential implications and examining the concerns and vulnerabilities such cyber attacks would pose, utilising exemplar online attack occurrences. It then examines the current Australian situation before suggesting some considerations to mitigate the potential risk that information warfare poses to critical infrastructure systems, and by association: government, industry and the wider community.  

Published In

Volume 8, Issue 3

Written By

Graeme Pye
Matt Warren

International Legal Issues and Approaches Regarding Information Warfare

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this analysis is to point out a few issues regarding the compatibility between international legal provisions on armed conflict and the new forms of warfare that the evolution of information technology enables nowadays.

Published In

Volume 10, Issue 2

Written By

Alexandru Nitu

Mobile Devices and the Military: Useful Tool or Significant Threat?

ABSTRACT

Smart mobile devices are becoming more prevalent in the military, not only for personal use, but as a battlefield tool. This paper discusses the introduction of smart mobile phones into a military environment, and the possible benefits and risks thereof. The paper will also investigate what these devices mean for information warfare. Throughout the paper, specific examples will be provided of military application of mobile devices, and the threats they pose.

Published In

Volume 11, Issue 2

Global and National Take on State Information Warfare

ABSTRACT

Information power has a crucial effect on success and because today information is mostly stored in digital form, attempts to establish information supremacy have logically migrated into cyberspace. Information warfare, which first developed in the military and political sphere, has become, due to recent technological developments, extremely aggressive and widespread, and is now used as a tool to achieve goals in all societal spheres. Leading countries even integrate this technique into their national policies and strategies for achieving their political goals. Transference of information warfare into cyberspace has led to the combining of two of the most dangerous and least investigated forms of criminality – cybercrime and organized crime – so the dilemma how to protect ourselves from them is now even greater. The international community has been avoiding this issue and information warfare is totally neglected. The absence of legislation and the will to bring order to this area has created a situation in which anyone can use cybercrime techniques to gain information power. This paper presents the authors’ opinion on the nature of information warfare, its steady migration into cyberspace and its exponential growth. The analysis of the current normative acts at national and international levels and our overview of the developments in leading countries illuminate the present state of affairs in this field.

Published In

Volume 11, Issue 2

Using a layered model to place EW in context within the information sphere

ABSTRACT

In recent years, a discussion on the relationship between Electronic Warfare (EW), Information Warfare (IW), Cyber Operations, Net-Centric Warfare, Command and Control, Information Operations (IO) and other constructs have emerged. This paper proposes a three-layer model in an attempt to provide a new perspective on this discussion. Each layer is defined and the roles and relationships between EW, IW, and IO are explained accordingly. Using this approach is extremely powerful as it emphasises the complementary natures these fields should have, rather than the rivalry which is often the present. An attack on an 802.11g (WiFi) wireless link is used as an example to display the value this layered approach can offer.

Published In

Volume 11, Issue 3

Retrospective Evaluation of Cyber-security Strategic Reports for the Next Two Decades: From 2000 to 2030

ABSTRACT

Retrospective taxonomical evaluation of the strategic cyber-security reports of the last decade is important to appreciate how the very concept of Cyberspace has evolved along with other important concepts and definitions such as cyber security, cyber terrorism, cyber warfare, and information warfare. For that reason, this paper first evaluates, compares, and contrasts seven cyber-security strategy reports covering the decade from 2002 to 2011. Secondly, armed with the strategic cyber-security reports of the last decade, the paper attempts to ascertain whether the near future cyber-security strategies will continue to be valid.

Published In

Volume 12, Issue 3

Written By

Ahmet Koltuksuz

3D Vulnerability Analysis Solution to the Problem of Military Energy Security and Interposing Tactics

ABSTRACT

Military energy security is defined in the same terms as its civil counterpart, energy security. Conventionally focused on policy, technology, and programmatic initiatives, it is aimed at increasing the security and sustainability of energy resources (for defence or otherwise). This remains valid if military energy security is defined in purely economic terms. In terms of alternative strategies or terrorist ‘tactics, techniques, and procedures’, a new set of operational problems arise. This article examines an attack scenario based on ‘interposing tactics’. This involves attacking and defending energy supply. The ‘3D vulnerability analysis’ tool/model is proposed as a solution.

Published In

Volume 13, Issue 1

Educating and Training Soldiers for Information Operations

ABSTRACT

Military Training and Education is evolving because of the growing influence of Information Operations (IO) and Information Warfare (IW). This influence has grown from the tremendous changes in both technology and social issues. While military technology has changed from stones to cannons to silicon-based weapons, the basic curriculum for soldiers in some cases has not changed for centuries. Traditional training and combat skills often do not match the modern battle field. Modern soldiers must not only be traditional warriors; they must be competent in information operations and information warfare. This paper addresses how to initiate this integration.

Published In

Volume 13, Issue 1

Dissuasion, Disinformation, Dissonance: Complexity and Autocritique as Tools of Information Warfare

ABSTRACT

This paper argues that the cyber terrain offers opportunities for developing strategies and tactics of information warfare which are based on the techniques already deployed by anti- establishment actors: détournement, satire, and the appropriation and subversion of pre-existing media artefacts. It also argues that the inherent complexity, diversity, and apparent anarchy of the online realm aids, rather than threatens, the effective exercise of influence. Finally, it contends that information warfare and influence must be conducted through media, which are integral to the experience of the intended targets, and suggests that recent developments in gaming merit investigation.

Published In

Volume 14, Issue 4

Written By

J. K. L. Scott

Wild Predator Erratic Attacks versus Dynamic Defence

ABSTRACT

Attacks by lone gunmen in public places have been experienced in schools and universities around the world. These attacks are viewed as isolated acts by individuals with little or no connection to any political or ideological agenda. Additionally, these attackers are commonly seen as having little connection to each other. However, viewed from the perspective of tactics it is argued that certain commonalities arise. Taking examples from past infamous school shootings in the U.S., a particular attack method of operations and a possible range of tactical solutions to these deadly attack methods can be identified. A methodology is proposed which views these actions by the lone gunmen as a tactical concept called erratic attacks. The attackers themselves in this methodology are viewed as wild predators. The wild predator attacker can only be defeated with one of two defences. These are a denial of space, such as boxing, and/or a dynamic defence. These approaches are designed to overcome the significant information advantages which an erratic attacker can have, namely deception advantages. This article proposes to discuss this methodology in terms of terrorist ‘tactics, techniques, and procedures’ (TTPs).

Published In

Volume 14, Issue 1

An Information Operations Roadmap for South Africa

ABSTRACT

The latest arms race can be considered to be information-based, revolving around Information Operations (IO). As with any developing concept, there are innovators, early adopters, and laggards. However, complexities in the constructs of IO result in a number of potential adopters struggling to implement their own brand of IO. A modified Capability Maturity Model is proposed and applied to the case of South Africa. Using guidance from previous studies and publicly available documentation, capability gaps for IO in South Africa are identified. Based on these gaps, a roadmap for developing IO capacity in South Africa is proposed.

Published In

Volume 14, Issue 3

Written By

Brett van Niekerk

Journal of Information Warfare

The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.

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The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.

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Registered Agent and Mailing Address

  • Journal of Information Warfare
  •  ArmisteadTEC
  • Dr Leigh Armistead, President
  • 1624 Wakefield Drive
  • Virginia Beach, VA 23455

 757.510.4574

 JIW@ArmisteadTec.com