iWar

iWar: War and Peace in the Information Age

By: Bill Gertz

Allison’s Rating:

Nothing on the internet is private, and opening web pages in incognito mode does not hide data from the NSA. Google collects your browsing history, phones trace your GPS coordinates, IoT devices listen to your conversations and Russia tracks the location of KGB defectors. Bill Gertz latest book iWar: War and Peace in the Information Age presents a partisan look at the current state of information warfare in the United States. Gertz explores this new era of war which he declares to be “non-kinetic warfare waged in the digital realm”. Throughout this quarter, I have been expanding my knowledge of databases, specifically the importance of a quality data model that promotes integrity and efficiency. To fully grasp Gertz’s concept of nonkinetic information warfare on a global scale seems daunting. However, parallels can be drawn between my small school projects and government intelligence operations in terms of database modeling and data analytics. These fundamentals include how data is stored, accessed and disseminated.

Data Storage

Methodical data modeling and storage is imperative to successful database operations. Competency in the information warfare age will only be as high as a data model is efficient. Gertz shares his opinions on several FBI investigations that include the profiling of potential threats to the United States. Where he claims lack of training and information I wonder about the database and data models that are currently being used in governments. It reminds me of an interview on NPR from April 2013, Gun Registration Paper Trail Is Long And Convoluted. This interview shares how even in today’s digital age the gun registration process is a manual paper process caught in a balancing act of maintaining privacy while enforcing government laws. Thrust into this new age of non-kinetic warfare, paper databases at the federal level are incredibly difficult to maintain and are not sustainable nor valuable. For information warfare to be victorious the underlying data model must offer end users efficiencies and a logical presentation of information. IT systems must be updated with the latest trends in database modeling, and not rely on methods of the past to be relevant in the future.

Data Access

The implementation of security measures to protect information is critical to maintaining data authentication and integrity. To establish dominance in an information war, the security protocols for the protection of data must be fortified. As discussed in iWar, there are organizations working around clock carrying out clandestine hacking operations against nations, corporations and individuals. Large scale global examples provided by Gertz include the Sony hacking executed by North Korea and the Chinese attack on Anthem. While carrying out hacking operations is certainly an aspect of information warfare, solidifying and securing data assets is equally as important. I find this particularly interesting in the arena of the Internet of Things. These devices, which often lack proper security measures, are being attached to networks that are shared with servers containing sensitive data. This presents a major threat and easy access for malicious users looking for a weak entry point to exploit. The availability to access data (or denial of access) is a fundamental pillar in the C.I.A security triad, and increasingly pertinent for databases when engaging in information warfare.

Data Dissemination_

Social Media is a major player in how data-driven content is shared and digested. At the end of Q1 2017 Facebook had 1.94 billion monthly active users, who shared 4.75 billion pieces of content daily (https://zephoria.com/top-15-valuable-facebook-statistics/). This number is staggering, and only represents roughly 26% of the world’s population! The ‘weaponization of social media’ is poised to become the leading tactical mortar in information warfare. Gertz explains that terrorist groups use social media platforms at alarming speeds to recruit and spread information. Information America’s Social Media Program, Gertz’s proposition for action, calls for nationwide unification of social media and removing these terrorist organization’s access to these applications. Understanding the level of persuasion social media has on society is critical. When a hidden algorithm developed by a 3rd party is able to filter the content presented, perceptions are easily manipulated. We learn in this class how data is transformed from a database and presented to a user on the screen such as a form or a report through SQL queries. Those who are participating in information warfare maliciously choose to manipulate their queries and algorithm changing what is being displayed and shared with their audiences! Furthermore, these changes are often neither announced nor disclosed to end users. This manipulation can either provide society with powerful educational tools, or with propaganda that perpetuates misinformation.

Ultimately, in the era of big data, the morals and values applied to data analyzation and presentation is paramount. Education will prove to continue to be the best weapon in an information war. Major tech-giants such as Facebook, Wikipedia and eBay are funding programs to fight against “fake news” – sensationalized misinformation that has no scientific basis. This is an attempt to arm the public with accurate and true information and allow for educated decisions to be made that align with personal values. Gertz continues his rally cry for America to regain strong foothold in traditional values (eerily similar to a slogan used in the 2016 Presidential Election of “Make America Great Again”) and regain the country’s “center of gravity”. As seen with fake news, data analysis and presentation is easily skewed and can dangerously unknowingly further confirmation bias. Fear-mongers such as Gertz exploit big data to support pre-decided conclusions. When applied to information warfare, this is incredibly dangerous and can be used to quickly spread mass amounts of disinformation that appears to be scientifically supported. Gertz leaves the reader with the idea of fighting disinformation with more disinformation – a propaganda strategy that is ever so reminiscent of a George Orwell novel.