Uncontrolled weapons: modern threats to international informational security
The article focuses on the most acute threats to international information security that have global and strategic nature and endanger international peace. Categorization of these threats is based on Russian official classification. It identifies threats that (а) involve misuse of information communication technologies (ICT) for military and political purposes, including hostile actions and acts of aggression; (b) harm to critical national infrastructure; (c) online propaganda and recruiting by extremists and terrorists. The article analyzes symptoms of such threats and global trends that contribute to growing risks of this type. Military means employed in information operations are also explored. The article reviews several cases of purposeful malicious actions against physical objects of critical infrastructure; reveals sources of threats of the use of the Internet for criminal and terrorist activity and information and psychological brainwashing; and offers practical recommendations on how to minimize risks caused by malicious use of the Internet. It also calls for the urgent creation of international governance and control mechanisms in this field. One of them could be a code of state conduct in the information space that is actively promoted by Russia at the UN. The article concludes by stressing the important role that the expert community and academic institutions should play at every step of the decision-making process on dealing with international information security threats and provides recommendations for academic and expert communities.