Current And Emerging Trends In Cyber Operations

This book explores current and emerging trends in policy, strategy, and practice related to cyber operations conducted by states and non-state actors. The book examines in depth the nature and dynamics of conflicts in the cyberspace, the geopolitics of cyber conflicts, defence strategy and practice, cyber intelligence and information security.

This book explores current and emerging trends in policy, strategy, and practice related to cyber operations conducted by states and non-state actors. The book examines in depth the nature and dynamics of conflicts in the cyberspace, the geopolitics of cyber conflicts, defence strategy and practice, cyber intelligence and information security.

There is little doubt that cyber-space has become the battle space for confrontations. However, to conduct cyber operations, a new armory of weapons needs to be employed. No matter how many, or how sophisticated an aggressor’s kinetic weapons are, they are useless in cyber-space. This book looks at the milieu of the cyber weapons industry, as well as the belligerents who use cyber weapons. It discusses what distinguishes these hardware devices and software programs from computer science in general. It does this by focusing on specific aspects of the topic—contextual issues of why cyber-space is the new battleground, defensive cyber weapons, offensive cyber weapons, dual-use weapons, and the implications these weapons systems have for practice. Contrary to popular opinion, the use of cyber weapons is not limited to nation states; though this is where the bulk of news reporting focuses. The reality is that there isn’t a sector of the political-economy that is immune to cyber skirmishes. So, this book looks at cyber weapons not only by national security agencies and the military, but also by law enforcement, and the business sector—the latter includes administrations termed non-government organisations (NGOs). This book offers study material suitable for a wide-ranging audience—students, professionals, researchers, policy officers, and ICT specialists.

The Russian regime's struggle for internal control drives multifaceted actions in cyberspace that do not stop at national borders. Cybercrime, technical hacking, and disinformation are complementary tools to preserve national power internally while projecting effects onto myriad neighbors and rivals. Russian activity in the cyber domain is infamous in the United States and other Western countries. Weaponizing Cyberspace explores the Russian proclivity, particularly in the 21st century, for using cyberspace as an environment in which to launch technical attacks and disinformation campaigns that sow chaos and distraction in ways that provide short-term advantage to autocrats in the Kremlin. Arguing that Russia's goal is to divide people, Sambaluk explains that Russia's modus operandi in disinformation campaigning is specifically to find and exploit existing sore spots in other countries. In the U.S., this often means inflaming political tensions among people on the far left and far right. Russia's actions have taken different forms, including the sophisticated surveillance and sabotage of critical infrastructure, the ransoming of data by criminal groups, and a welter of often mutually contradictory disinformation messages that pollute online discourse within and beyond Russia. Whether deployed to contribute to hybrid war or to psychological fracture and disillusionment in targeted societies, the threat is real and must be understood and effectively addressed.

With the continued progression of technologies such as mobile computing and the internet of things (IoT), cybersecurity has swiftly risen to a prominent field of global interest. This has led to cyberattacks and cybercrime becoming much more sophisticated to a point where cybersecurity can no longer be the exclusive responsibility of an organization’s information technology (IT) unit. Cyber warfare is becoming a national issue and causing various governments to reevaluate the current defense strategies they have in place. Cyber Security Auditing, Assurance, and Awareness Through CSAM and CATRAM provides emerging research exploring the practical aspects of reassessing current cybersecurity measures within organizations and international governments and improving upon them using audit and awareness training models, specifically the Cybersecurity Audit Model (CSAM) and the Cybersecurity Awareness Training Model (CATRAM). The book presents multi-case studies on the development and validation of these models and frameworks and analyzes their implementation and ability to sustain and audit national cybersecurity strategies. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as forensic analysis, digital evidence, and incident management, this book is ideally designed for researchers, developers, policymakers, government officials, strategists, security professionals, educators, security analysts, auditors, and students seeking current research on developing training models within cybersecurity management and awareness.

Cybersecurity is vital for all businesses, regardless of sector. With constant threats and potential online dangers, businesses must remain aware of the current research and information available to them in order to protect themselves and their employees. Maintaining tight cybersecurity can be difficult for businesses as there are so many moving parts to contend with, but remaining vigilant and having protective measures and training in place is essential for a successful company. The Research Anthology on Business Aspects of Cybersecurity considers all emerging aspects of cybersecurity in the business sector including frameworks, models, best practices, and emerging areas of interest. This comprehensive reference source is split into three sections with the first discussing audits and risk assessments that businesses can conduct to ensure the security of their systems. The second section covers training and awareness initiatives for staff that promotes a security culture. The final section discusses software and systems that can be used to secure and manage cybersecurity threats. Covering topics such as audit models, security behavior, and insider threats, it is ideal for businesses, business professionals, managers, security analysts, IT specialists, executives, academicians, researchers, computer engineers, graduate students, and practitioners.