Conquest in Cyberspace
National Security and Information Warfare

This book shows the risks and protections cyberspace offers for national security and information warfare.

Martin C. Libicki (Author)

9780521871600, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 21 May 2007

336 pages
23.6 x 16 x 2.4 cm, 0.57 kg

"Libicki recognizes the grand problem in discourse on the topic of cyberwarfare: the incredible breadth of topical space....Conquest in Cyberspace is an admirable work. It covers much territory and serves the important role of provoking thought and redirecting inquiry. By crossing disciplinary boundaries, Martin Libicki has enriched our understanding of the relationship between information technology and international politics."
Chris Bronk, Journal of Information Technology & Politics

With billions of computers in existence, cyberspace, 'the virtual world created when they are connected,' is said to be the new medium of power. Computer hackers operating from anywhere can enter cyberspace and take control of other people's computers, stealing their information, corrupting their workings, and shutting them down. Modern societies and militaries, both pervaded by computers, are supposedly at risk. As Conquest in Cyberspace explains, however, information systems and information itself are too easily conflated, and persistent mastery over the former is difficult to achieve. The author also investigates how far 'friendly conquest' in cyberspace extends, such as the power to persuade users to adopt new points of view. He discusses the role of public policy in managing cyberspace conquests and shows how the Internet is becoming more ubiquitous and complex, such as in the use of artificial intelligence.

1. Introduction
2. Hostile conquest as information warfare
3. Information warfare as noise
4. Information warfare against defense systems
5. Information warfare against command and control
6. Friendly conquest in cyberspace
7. Friendly conquest using global systems
8. Retail conquest in cyberspace
9. From intimacy, vulnerability
10. Talking conquest in cyberspace
11. Managing conquest in cyberspace
Appendix. Why cyberspace is likely to gain consequence.

Subject Areas: Computer viruses, Trojans & worms [URJ], Computer fraud & hacking [URH], Privacy & data protection [URD], Warfare & defence [JW], Politics & government [JP]