A4 Refereed article in a conference publication

Hybrid warfare in society’s information environment: An empirical analysis using the grounded theory




AuthorsMustonen-Ollila Erja, Lehto Martti J., Heikkonen Jukka

EditorsThaddeus Eze, Lee Speakman and Cyril Onwubiko

Conference nameEuropean Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security

PublisherCurran Associates Inc.

Publication year2020

JournalProceedings of the European conference on cyber warfare and security

Book title Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security: a Virtual Conference hosted by the University of Chester UK 25-26 June 2020

Journal name in sourceEuropean Conference on Information Warfare and Security, ECCWS

Series titleProceedings of the European conference on cyber warfare and security

First page 258

Last page267

ISBN978-1-912764-61-7

eISBN978-1-912764-62-4

ISSN2048-8602

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.34190/EWS.20.006


Abstract

This paper investigates hybrid warfare by analysing its dimensions, that is, hybrid influencing, information warfare, kinetic warfare and cyber warfare, in a society’s information environment. The Grounded Theory approach was used to collect and analyse the data. Evidence of four thematic categories emerged, and each category was broken down into multiple items, derived from data and validated by past studies. The number of discovered item observations was 119, that is, 1–20 multiple item categories per thematic category, forming a total of 44 item categories. In this study, four thematic categories, their item categories and relationships between thematic categories defined the concept of hybrid warfare. Propositions regarding the thematic categories were then made on the basis of the inter-relationships between them. Seven higher-level abstractions of statements were found in the conceptual framework. Finally, six conclusions emerged from this study. First, modifying a society’s IE for a foreign state’s purposes is a coordinated political goal. Second, external pressure from foreign states is constant and seeks new forms of influencing. Third, a strategic goal exists to weaken society’s IE through frequent cyber operations, cyber attacks, fake information, social influence, political influence and psychological influence in order to prevent the progress of the society. Fourth, the goal of military manoeuvres and constant exercises with new military weapons near borders is to threaten the society. Fifth, foreign actors use different types of warfare to prevent the society’s decision-making. Sixth, hybrid influencing, information warfare, kinetic warfare and cyber warfare all overlap with each other in the society’s IE.



Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 21:45