Strategic Information Warfare National Information Infrastructure and the Defense of the Nation
Abstract
The national information infrastructure is critical to broad segments of U.S. society, from business and government to the military. Reliance on the information infrastructure to streamline business processes is saving resources and increasing short-term competitiveness. However the competitive global environment that is driving business to streamline allows little margin for disruption of business information flow. Disruptions of business processes that rely on the information revolution could lead to offshore migration or outright concession of segments of U.S. industry to foreign competitors. Legal ambiguities abound in almost every aspect of infrastructure assurance. Significant strategic thinking is required to resolve ambiguities in the domestic and international information environments that affect infrastructure assurance and deterrence through offensive or defensive use of information warfare. Cyberspace is not geographically bounded; the legal landscape must expand beyond physical boundaries and material property rights if infrastructure assurance is to be achieved. Since security measures have not kept pace with the explosion in technology associated with the information revolution, the purpose of this paper is to determine if the information infrastructure is at risk, and to conclude what coherent steps must be taken to both increase awareness of the threat and protect the U.S. information infrastructure. Moreover, second order effects of the information revolution need to be studied to insure that long term competitiveness of U.S. business is not placed at risk by external information operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 12, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA341299
Entities
People
- Ronald J. Nelson
Organizations
- United States Army War College