A Case for Active Information Defence: Why Shoot the First Cyber-Bullet?
Abstract:
As hybrid actors increasingly exploit misinformation for tactical purposes, responding effectively to informational attacks has become a critical challenge. Determining the optimal timing for such responses presents a dilemma: reacting too early may inadvertently amplify the attack, while responding too late risks ceding strategic initiative to the adversary.
To address this issue, the cognitive biases at stake in decision making in these contexts is analysed. A novel game-theoretical model to conceptualise the problem of response timing is then introduced. This model is applied to two case studies, from which practical insights for the implementation of an active informational defence strategy are drawn.
AUTHORS
Saint-Cyr Military Academy Research Centre
Coëtquidan, France
Anthony Namor is a French Army officer. He has served for about fifteen years in different electronic warfare and cyber defense units and, between 2013 and 2023, completed several missions in the Sahel region of Africa. In 2024, he earned a doctorate in game theory and cyber defense decision making and is a fellow researcher at the research center of the military academy of Saint-Cyr Coëtquidan.
Published In
Journal of Information Warfare
The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.
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