Odd as it might seem in a world of ubiquitous computing and hand held email devices, the first ever web browsing software made its debut in 1991. Not until the mid 1990s did the Internet begin to make any commercial impact, and only since 2000 has it become a mainstream social and political medium. Human society is still in the first stages of adapting to the Internet and discovering new beneficial uses. Yet already, risks are beginning to mount. Over the next few years, humanity will have to consider how it will govern and protect the Internet as a new global commons. Otherwise, it is possible that ‘iWar’, a form of conflict waged over the Internet, will upset the beneficial development of the Internet across the globe.
(I just published this article on the online magazine http://www.nthposition.com/, which Seamus Sweeney introduced me to.)
I spoke on the issue of Internet governance at the Swiss Government’s counter terrorism seminar on 29 April 2008. Here is the presentation. Read the rest of this entry »
I interviewed Toomas Ilves, President of the Republic of Estonia, on 15 April 2008, about digital infrastructure, the DDOS attacks, and the future of digital competitiveness.
Associated Press picks up on my take on iWar
20 April 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iOa2mqt5DXi7h40NageheWNxCyTQD8VPR7JG0
The Associated Press report that:
NATO needs to gear up for “iWar” — systematic attacks on the Web that could disrupt commerce worldwide by using crippling computer worms to shut down consumer online services such as Internet banking — warns Johnny Ryan, a researcher with the Institute of International and European Affairs.
“iWar will proliferate quickly and can be waged by anyone with an Internet connection,” Ryan cautioned in an analysis for NATO.
“In the short term, iWar poses a gathering threat to NATO members,” he said. “NATO must approach the problem as an immediate threat and strive to develop practical defensive cooperation.”
Pluscarden paper
17 February 2008
I spoke at the Pluscarden Conference last weekend. Here’s the paper. Read the rest of this entry »
Full story http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/iwar_pirates_states_and_the_internet
I have introduced the term “iWar” (in an piece in NATO Review [Winter 2007], as well as this longer openDemocracy article) to denote attacks carried out over the internet that target the consumer internet infrastructure, such as the websites that provide access to online banking services. In this understanding, iWar is distinct from what the United States calls “cyberwar” or from what China calls “informationalised war”. Each of these refers to controlling communications, access to imagery intelligence, electronic espionage, and battlefield command and control; China’s defence white paper of December 2006, for example, emphasises the importance of gaining supremacy in space to control information assets such as satellites. iWar is different because it exploits the ubiquitous, low-security infrastructure. As a result, while nation-states alone can engage in “cyber” and “informationalised” warfare, iWar can be waged by individuals, corporations, and communities.
NATO Review: “iWar”
21 December 2007
See news coverage of this article at Associated Press.
With a computer in virtually every home and office, the chances for mass communication are better than ever before. But how well protected are we if that communication is malicious or hostile? John Ryan makes the case that iWar attacks could be the most innovative form of warfare since the invention of gunpowder.
A short time from now it is likely that “iWar”, a form of internet-based warfare, will erupt across the globe.This form of warfare’s potency will grow as economies, governments, and communities close the so-called “digital divide”. Those embracing the internet most will be increasingly vulnerable to iWar attacks which exploit the consumer infrastructure.
iWar
15 August 2007
Published in TCSDaily http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=071807B, 13 August 2007.
The “virtual siege” of Estonia in which distributed denial of service attacks shut down important banking, government and media websites throughout late April and May 2007 is an example of “iWar”. The Estonian example should be considered as a sign of things to come.
A short time from now it is likely that a new form of Internet based warfare will erupt across the globe. The potency of this iWar will grow as the economies of the world steadily embrace the Internet to deliver services. At the same time, iWar will maintain its ease of adoption and low cost. iWar may also maintain its deniability.
These two key trends - cheap, deniable warfare and increasing vulnerability to attack - are likely to result in a conflagration of iWar. This new form of warfare can be waged by individuals, communities, corporations, nations and alliances. The economic toll of a conflagration could be enormous. Read the rest of this entry »
