[liberationtech] Syria's Hacker Wars

[Rafal Rohozinski]

Analysis of the growing significance of hacking groups in the war in Syria.
View this email in your browser
           
Syria's Hacker Wars
Internet hacking groups increasingly significant in Syrian war


8 October 2013. Internet hacking groups are a significant and growing feature of the war in Syria. A new development is the open association of some hacking groups with on-the-ground militant groups from both sides.

The Syrian civil war is the first to happen in the full throes of the new cyber environment, where mobile technologies, social media, digital natives, and internet surveillance have created a potent mix. This war is being fought in and through cyberspace. The Assad regime and the Syrian opposition rely on the internet and social media to organize, communicate, influence public opinion, attract local followers, garner international support, and exercise command and control over operations.

The opposition's use of cyber tools are mostly tactical, but serve to support an overall strategic aim of toppling the regime. By contrast, the regime – being in control of the country’s internet infrastructure – has been more strategic in its approach.

Common to both sides is the emergence of hacking groups that seek to silence their enemies. The evolution of Syria’s hacking wars is something to watch –- inside Syria and globally.
 
Read our FlashNote for further information

	Forward to Friend                                                             
	Share                                                             
	Tweet                                                             
	+1                                                             
	Share                                                             

About This Project

This FlashNote is an output of the Syrian Digital Safety Project - SalamaTech - that seeks to improve the online safety and security of the Syrian people and to enhance the free flow of information in Syria. SalamaTech provides guidance, training and toolsets dedicated to enhancing digital safety and openness in Syria. The project is administered by The SecDev Foundation with funding from granting bodies in North America.

About The SecDev Foundation

The SecDev Foundation is a Canadian not-for-profit organization that seeks to broaden global public awareness and understanding in three core programme areas: cyber empowerment; the sources of security and resilience; and armed violence prevention and reduction. The SecDev Foundation supports local partners, research and advocacy in regions at risk from fragility, violence and underdevelopment in Asia, Africa, Eurasia, the Middle East and Latin America.
 
Copyright © 2013 The SecDev Group, All rights reserved.
We send emails to our clients, partners, and those otherwise interested in our work.

Our mailing address is:
The SecDev Group
45 O'Connor Street
Suite 1150
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 1A4
Canada

Add us to your address book


unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences 


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.stanford.edu/pipermail/liberationtech/attachments/20131008/e0ea9910/attachment.html>