Information Warfare Jonáš Syrovátka Masaryk University Department of Political Science Content •Information warfare – definition •Case studies •US •Russia •Czech Republic •War in Ukraine •Information warfare as concept – critical reflection Information warfare: concept •Use of information to overpower the enemy •Information warfare is about gathering, providing, and denying information in order to improve one’s own decision-making while damaging the enemy’s. •Various techniques: •Psychological operations •Reconnaissance •Disinformation •Electronic and cyber warfare • Information warfare: development •Observation about importance of information is classical in thinking about conflict •Sun Tzu: What is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy •But in 1990s significant reshaping of information space •Third revolution in warfare? •Cyberspace as a new domain of conflict for NATO (2016) •Constant tension between technical (cyber) and human (psychological) aspect of IW • Information warfare: US tradition •Institutionalization during WWII (Office of War Information operating between 1942 and 1945) •Information operations key for success of D-Day •Operation Fortitude •Abandoning after WWII •Negative attitudee towards propaganda •Classical dilemma of democracy •Aim of IW is to achieve advantage on the battlefield Information warfare: US tradition •Lack of coordination •Mainly tradition in air force experimenting with electronic warfare •Gulf war in 1991 as a triumph of deception •First military manual in 1996 •Actions taken to achieve information superiority by affecting adversary information, information-based processes, information systems and computer-based networks while defending one’s own information, information-based processes, information systems and computer-based networks. Information warfare: US tradition •According to Libicki (2017) still lack of coordination and overfocus on technical aspect •Army Cyber Command •Change of mission in 2019 Information warfare: Russian tradition •Long-time practice •Maskirova – art of deception during conflict developed already at the beginning of 1900s •Field Regulations of Red Army from 1929 - Surprise has a stunning effect on the enemy. For this reason all troop operations must be accomplished with the greatest concealment and speed. •Important part of key military operations during WWII •Operation Bagration in 1944 Information warfare: Russian tradition •Not limited to military affairs – 1989 perceived as result of successful Western information warfare •War/conflict as normal state of international affairs •Aim is to achieve political objectives (military + non-military) •Sovereignty in information space (new authoritarian regimes, law about foreign agents) •Annexation of Crimea •„Little green man“ x „polite people“ • • Information warfare: CZ •After 2014 need to react to new security environment •Russian propaganda present also in Czech information space but general need to update state capabilities •Complex and messy process (Jankowicz, Eberle and Daniel) •National Security Audit (2016) •The old - new manifestation of the influence of foreign power is then propaganda and the spread of disinformation such means of information warfare through which foreign powers attempt to influence the state in the field of governance and use of communication and information channels or technologies through which it operates public opinion. Information warfare: CZ •Establishing relevant institutions •Centre Against Terrorism and Hybrid Threats (2017) •National Cyber and Information Security Agency (2017) •Karel Řehka – military general and author of book Information warfare •Cyber Forces Command (2020) •CIW forces provide the ability to defend domestic •parts of cyberspace, conduct infoops, infoops in •cyberspace, PsyOps and CMI/CIMIC. War in Ukraine •Significant information component from the start •US information about planned invasion •RU operation is executed in the way to maximize panic •UK successfully applies various IW tools to counter the invasion Concepts •Basic tool of science allowing research to describe phenomenon and formulate hypothesis •Name – definition – cases •Usefulness of concept •Resonance •Differentiation •Strength • Information warfare: conceptual critique •Resonance •Information as key aspect or cyberspace as a new domain? •Differentiation •Was there any war/conflict without deception? •Difference between information war, propaganda and strategic communication? •Strength •Disinformation, intelligence gathering and destruction of computer networks under one conceptual umbrella? • Thank you for your attention.