Cyclones in cyberspace: Information shaping and denial in the 2008 Russia–Georgia war

Abstract

While the rhetoric of cyber war is often exaggerated, there have been recent cases of international conflict in which cyberspace has played a prominent role. In this article, we analyze the impact of cyberspace in the conflict between Russia and Georgia over the disputed territory of South Ossetia in August 2008. We examine the role of strategic communications, information operations, operations in and through cyberspace, and conventional combat to account for the political and military outcomes of the conflict. The August 2008 conflict reveals some emergent issues in cyber warfare that can be generalized for further comparative research: the importance of control over the physical infrastructure of cyberspace, the strategic and tactical importance of information denial, the emergence of cyber-privateering, the unavoidable internationalization of cyber conflicts, and the tendency towards magnifying unanticipated outcomes in cyber conflicts – a phenomenon we call ‘cyclones in cyberspace’.

Norwegian “Digital Border Defense” and Competence for the Unforeseen: A Grounded Theory Approach

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“…The problematic point regarding cyber-attacks is that it is possible to be exposed to an extensive attack without ever detecting it (Lindsay, 2013). Deibert et al (2012) have analyzed the impact of cyberspace on the conflict between Russia and Georgia in 2008. They refer to cyber warfare and discuss different issues that need to be dealt with regarding future comparative research.…”

Cyberspace: A New Threat to the Sovereignty of the State

“…In fact, such cases require the international co-operation in combating cyberspace security violations. So, the military tactics and strategies have started to combine the traditional combat with the electronic or virtual attacks (Deibert, Rohozinski, & Crete-Nishihata, 2012). Such cyber activities have made cyberspace acquire a very significant strategic position which could be regarded as equal as geographical spaces, such as land, sea, and air.…”

“…For some, it was geographically separate area-a real space, international, independent, and separated from the territory of the states (Deibert et al, 2012). Yet, the anonymity and autonomy of cyberspace facilitate aggression against state sovereignty and make it quite difficult to identify and locate trespassers (Placid & Wynekoop, 2011).…”

Stuxnet and the Future of Cyber War

“…A genius of the strategy was that no one could link the Russian government and the cyber attackers, protecting the Russian state from political or legal culpability 11. Georgia and Estonia epitomise the emerging model.…”