What is the Role of Cyber Operations in Information Warfare?

In “What is the Role of Cyber Operations in Information Warfare?” Emilio Iasiello challenges recent years in cybersecurity where the US has focused heavily on the potential threats posed by cyberattacks on critical infrastructure (CI). Iasiello states that the US may be overlooking other significant challenges, particularly in the realm of information warfare (IW). This article explores the evolving information environment and cyberspace as a warfighting domain, arguing that while cyberattacks serve as tactical tools, cyber espionage is more effective and complements information warfare, serving as a critical element in achieving state-driven strategic objectives. Despite ongoing efforts by the US government, such as collaboration with tech companies to counter cyber threats, there remains a significant gap in addressing the soft power elements of IW like propaganda and disinformation, and the US government has yet to create strategies that mirror the national cybersecurity efforts for countering these forms of influence, leaving the country vulnerable to further manipulation. The reliance on tech companies and media outlets to regulate content, driven by political pressures, risks replicating the censorship practices of authoritarian regimes, which not only undermines freedom of speech but also deepens national divisions, aligning the US with the very tactics it condemns. Ultimately, this could serve the strategic objectives of adversaries like Russia, who aim to weaken the United States by exploiting its internal divides.