Germany is a leading member of the European Union and one of the world’s strongest economies. Consequently, it is a central target for cyberattacks from states, terror organizations, and criminal groups. Dealing with the threat to German democracy posed by campaigns to disseminate false information—plus the cyber threat posed by Russia—has led to changes in the German security concept, causing the German government to seek to increase its cyber independence and to establish offensive capabilities in this space. Understanding how...
Turkey is one of the most technologically, economically, and institutionally developed countries in the Middle East. At the same time, it is one of the countries most exposed to cyber threats. The Turkish government has taken steps in recent years to narrow the existing gaps in defense against cyber threats, but its efforts in this area have not yet produced the desired results. This article analyzes Turkey’s national cyber defense deployment and cites a number of structural challenges resulting from long-standing Turkish policy. The...
The increasing number and complexity of cybersecurity incidents have led many organizations to develop procedures and capabilities to manage them. These include real-time response capabilities, technological capabilities, and the formation of teams charged with maintaining organizational information systems. These efforts are liable to be insufficient, however, because they sometimes fail to consider managerial aspects and the skills and tools required of the technological teams to manage crises while trying to confront a cyber...
The rise of offensive interstate cyber interactions continues to fan interest in the coercive potential of cyber operations. Advocates of this revolutionary view insist that it signifies a shift in the balance of interstate relations; yet empirical evidence from past cases challenges these beliefs as actions often result in continued resistance rather than compliance. Regardless of its performance, the coercive potential of cyber operations cannot be readily dismissed. Consequently, the paper advances that the outcome of coercive...
In January 2018, the United States and Egypt signed a bilateral communications security agreement known as the Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA), which protects and regulates the use of sensitive American avionics and communications systems. This development now allows, for the first time, the acquisition by Egypt of US-made high precision GPS-based air-to-ground weapon systems and components, as well as advanced air-to-air missiles. Over the years, Israel’s concerns over the sale of large...
The indictment filed by the United States Justice Department on February 16, 2018 against 13 Russian citizens and three Russian companies regarding attempts to promote the candidacy of Donald Trump for the US presidency, amounting to intervention in the country’s political system, is a phenomenon enabling interference in the “consciousness” of another country, in the form of “cognitive subversion.” Cognitive subversion exploits one of the basic principles of democracy, freedom of speech, particularly...
Israel’s aerial superiority over the next decade will to a large degree depend on the technological advantages that the F-35 fighter affords it. Consequently, Israel must retain its regional exclusivity of this platform and work to delay the release of fifth- generation fighters to other countries in the region for as long as possible. The United States is currently the primary potential supplier of this capability to the region, and Israel must impress upon the administration its objection to the release of the F-35 to the Gulf...
Depicted at 2018 Munich Security Conference is a challenging view of the global security environment, marked by a dangerous combination of worsening trends regarding the world’s climate, economy, and society; weakening strategic architectures; challenging technologies; and volatile crisis areas, led by North Korea and Syria. The Palestinian issue was marginalized, given its low influence on Middle East problems in general. Indeed, the Middle East is a secondary focus of attention for the international community, currently occupied...
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), frequently referred to as drones, have become an essential and dominant tool of advanced military forces, especially those engaged in counterinsurgency, where they are used mostly for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions as well as for different kinds of operations involving targeted strikes. As the usage of unmanned systems for military purposes increases, so does their vulnerability to cyberattacks, the result of their growing dependence on computer-based systems. The...
This essay examines the idea of “Non-lethal warfare” and how it can and should be integrated in the framework of the IDF’s military campaigns. It addresses the organizational, conceptual, and cultural barriers obstructing such a policy, and the changes required in the IDF’s operating principles: establishing the guidelines; changing the concept of time in a military operational design; shifting from a structure of covert to overt campaigns that are connected to the civilian environment; and devising a supportive intelligence and...
The field of cyber has acquired increasing legitimacy as an arena of action, as the international system becomes accustomed to its various uses for a range of needs. Israel sees cyber as a vital component of its national security, requiring investment and nurturing. From a historical point of view, the success of security and intelligence campaigns derives from smartly integrating new fields into the existing fabric—means, methods, and concepts— while implementing the necessary changes and adjustments. With the rapid introduction of...
The cyber threat ranks high among the risks to a country’s interests and national security. In recent years, this threat has already materialized in cyberattacks on political institutions, political parties, organizations, financial institutions, and critical national infrastructure around the world. In the future, additional risks are expected, particularly to the civilian sector, originating in the Internet of Things. These risks are the result of the growing number of connected devices, most of which are neither secured by the...
