The power of data as an information weapon: Information warfare by Russia since 2014

Abstract

Recently we see a repeating story: hacked data, leaked data, and disinformation are all powerful tools used alongside cyber sabotage and military force in different parts of the Western world. Many of these attacks are covert, raising the question of how scholars and citizens can detect these incursions in real time. In February 2014, Ukraine ousted its President Yanukovych, who was Russian President Putin's protege; Russia retaliated with physical and cyber aggression. An occupation of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine by clandestine Russian forces was accompanied by a massive disinformation campaign. Russia also infiltrated Ukrainian governmental networks with spying software, broke into the servers of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission to influence the outcome of the presidential election, and hacked and disabled important components of the Ukrainian critical infrastructure. After the United States (U.S.) and European Union (E.U.) imposed sanctions against Russia, Putin's regime intensified its information warfare against Western institutions as well. As weaponized data has been used in elections in Ukraine and the U.S., it may well continue during future election campaigns in France, the Netherlands, Germany, and beyond. In this paper we consider the nature of 'data' in an information-warfare environment. We also discuss and analyze Russian global information warfare since 2014, discuss how to detect its influence, and offer recommendations to mitigate its effects. While it is difficult to forensically prove who carried out recent attacks we describe, researchers agree that Russian government structures are behind these cyber and informational assaults. We use data from open sources, as well as data drawn from communications with other experts, to enhance clarity on info-warfare and gain insight into the everyday challenges presented by current-day Russian cyberactivity. As researchers, we aim to simply present a set of data and offer analyses relevant for citizens, scholars, and practitioners.