Cyberspace has become not only an important instrument, but also a very important domain. In 1993, there were nearly 50 websites in the world; by 2019, the amount of websites had reached 2 billion, due to the rapid increase in the adoption of the Internet. It is not a domain in a geographical sense, but a space where people interact.
Bitcoin, transnational transactions, virtual bank accounts, Forex trading all take place in cyberspace. From a socio-cultural standpoint, we also observe a sizeable presence of online volunteering, distance internships, or online courses. Mass media has migrated from traditional channels to online platforms like YouTube and Twitch. Sitting in the comfort of one’s home, we can even travel the world via a virtual tour of Versailles or visit ancient Chinese temples. Conversely, digital disruption of an electric station is easier and cheaper than physically destroying infrastructure. Moreover, virtual operations can be executed in all areas of military warfare: in the air, on land, on the sea, and even in space.
This proves that cyberspace is becoming a political arena. Unfortunately, threats go hand-in-hand with progress. Systems interdependently connect to one another, which increases the vulnerability of disruption to whole networks. The hostile states and non-state actors may use the advantage of cheap storing and transmitting information for their own purposes. Furthermore, access to the Internet and its faculties is becoming easier. The diffusion of power is happening now and gives some actors incredible power. That is why we need to review our opinions about the cyber domain. It is no longer a tool, it has become a real space with its own set of unique characteristics.
Smart power and its role in Cyberspace
Smart power is one of the possible strategies governments can use in the arena of cyberspace. It is characterised by employing a combination of hard, soft, and economic powers to achieve the main goals of every state, which are to ensure national security and protection of its people. Essentially, it is the ability to mix the hard power of coercion or payment with the soft power of attraction into a winning strategy. The idea is that a smart power policy can yield superior results over a policy that relies exclusively on one or the other kinds of power.
We cannot defend ourselves from terrorists or hostile actors using only weapons or investing huge amounts of money in education and mass media. Taking the example of international relations surrounding the US, terrorist organisations continue to intimidate the US despite military presence in Arab countries because weapons alone cannot change the ideology of terrorist groups. Simultaneously, hostile actors are still inimical to the USA despite the internet providing access to films, liberal ideas, and democratic values because, demonstrating that soft power alone is insufficient to overcome propaganda.
Hence, governments should utilise the whole spectrum of their power resources for solving these problems. Altogether, these would bring about unsurpassed outcomes and create new strategy. For example, military achievements, economic development, and reputation as a reliable partner, supported by public diplomacy, can be used for agenda-setting or establishing relations.
As the Internet becomes an integral part of everyday life, states must also convey their activities and concerns in the online sphere. Smart power will help governments shield their interests in the virtual space. Using a variety of resources, smart power allows governments to create necessary strategies for de-escalation policy, providing the necessary environment for progress, and defending people against cyberattacks. Proper allocation and use of resources is the way to progress.
Furthermore, the cyber domain is a digital jungle with many risks. In the absence of borders and limits, anonymity and rapidity are the main features of cyber threats. A single country cannot possibly administrate over this; hence utilising smart power in the cyber domain involves not just providing security, but also recognising the importance of a strong diplomacy, multilateralism, laws and values to construct prudence, justice, and alliances within the cyber domain.
In spite of the dominance of hard power, there are limits to its effectiveness in addressing the main cyber policy challenges facing us today. Many of the traditional instruments of soft power, such as public engagement and diplomacy, have also been neglected and fallen into disrepair. Smart power involves a combination of both hard and soft powers to develop a winning strategy.
Cyberspace is not a physical world with military and non-military assets; neither is it an industrial society with factories and plants. It is a place where power increasingly rests on its capacity to create and manipulate knowledge and information, where users are less easily influenced by the exercise of soft and hard power.
«Real» virtual threats
However, problems surfaced within the virtual world can significantly influence current issues in the physical world. The ability to collect, analyse, and manipulate information can offer a strategic advantage to individuals with bad intentions and cast doubts on the reliability of one’s information sources. Cyberattacks can directly disrupt communications and even affect operational capabilities, which increasingly depend on networks for their coordination and operation. For instance, the WannaCry incident in 2017 saw 300 thousand computers and 150 countries attacked by a cryptographic virus and caused $ 1 billion in damage. The Zeus virus in 2007 found funds withdrawn from accounts across European banks when malware penetrated computer systems and gained access to personal data. The total damage amounted to about $42 billion.
There are limits to the standard strategies of deterrence and it is difficult to pinpoint the origin and intention of such attacks. In addition, the low cost and ready accessibility of technology strengthens the power of small players against major ones. For this reason, we need to focus on "smart" strategy against "smart" threats, because the old strategic paradigms and of the game seem unsuitable.
The online world is an imprescriptible space of our life. Our everyday routine spills over into the virtual domain, be in terms of jobs, hobbies, or entertainment. Virtual domain is becoming an area for big political decisions, economic activities, and military operations. However, it is an area where cyberattacks can be used to produce effects similar to kinetic weapons, and where the manipulation of information and decision making can have effects that are far more dangerous, disrupting not only virtual domains, but also negatively affecting the real world. Smart power offers a possible solution, resting on a combine of approaches and resources to combat cyber threats, cyberterrorism, and hostile actions against national security. It presents a new vision of politics which is based on knowledge, flexibility, and "smart" efforts.
Photo by Grzegorz Walczak on Unsplash