The Dark Side of DNA Data:
Exploring the Privacy Implications of Aggregated Domestic Genomic Information
DNA data is being treated as a commercial asset, not the personal information that it is.
The Evolution of Insurgency and Counterinsurgency: How Technology is Changing the Game
Insurgencies and uprisings have occurred in human history since the dawn of tribal conflicts. However, new concepts in modern times have emerged and differ from the classical paradigms of counterinsurgency strategies in part due to technological advancements and the shifts in globalization (also partly due to the evolution of technology). The focus was and is still in some locations localized to a threat group or region; however, technology has once again made an impact. In similar ways that technological advancements have played a significant role in a conflict's outcome if utilized correctly, technology as we know it is seeping into every corner of the globe and slowly changing the threat landscape and conflict patterns in its wake.
Challenges to American Global Leadership: Analyzing the Future of US Influence in a Changing World
As with any rising or dominant power, history has shown us that nothing lasts forever, at least not without the right combination of decisions, resources, and other external factors. The United States may intend to remain a vital global force, but can it? Really? The U.S. must examine its entanglements and determine which alliances will support longevity if continuing alliances are a factor. On the other hand, the U.S. has the capacity to remain a global force if chronic deficiencies are addressed and draining alliances are pruned with a critical eye.
Balancing Cooperation and Competition: A Strategic Approach for the US to Navigate Emerging Power Challenges in the 21st Century
Power shifts, and the struggles that go with them, have been happening across the globe since the first human tribes formed. For the U.S. specifically, China has been a power in steady contention with the U.S. In overcoming the U.S. in some areas and introducing challenges to U.S. strategic interests. As an independent strategic analyst, this essay will argue for a strategic approach the United States should adopt to address this challenge. It will analyze U.S. interests, suggest a general strategic approach, and provide some near-term and long-term actions that the U.S. could pursue—mainly focusing on the power struggle with China.
Modern Domestic Terrorism Threats in America and an Exploration in Counterterrorism Solutions
Violent ideological groups, lone wolves, and domestic actors comprise some of the main threats to U.S. national security today, varying between leader-led and leaderless structures of an organization. In some cases, a combination of all three exists, such as a group of independent lone wolves radicalized by extremist groups residing in the U.S., having found a belief system over chat rooms on the internet, as the story so often goes.
Digital Democracy Dies in the Dark
Since the first time a computer connected to another computer in 1962 and formed the infantile connection that grew into what we know as the internet today (Leiner et al. 3), securing it has proven to be an unrelenting challenge. The objective of the internet was to share information, and though it has done that quite successfully, it has also created new vulnerable spaces accessible to the rest of the world. At no other point in history has companies, governments, individuals, and infrastructure been so easily accessible to the world at large.
Welcome To The “Splinternet”
Since its commercial and political value was recognized, dominance over the Internet has been fought over. Choosing to balkanize the Internet, also loosely referred to as the “splinternet," would bring with it both interesting risks and rewards. Neither would come without requiring massive changes, including trying to keep the Internet duct-taped together the way it is today.
How Technology Democratization is Changing the Face of Guerrilla Warfare
Technology has forever changed our world in new and exciting ways, but with that has new opportunities that can be utilized for good or for not-so-good activities. Unfortunately, the same technological advances that are saving lives every day provide criminals far and wide with new tools and platforms to be leveraged. In some cases, technology has encouraged criminal activity with the development of anonymity. No longer would an individual need to plan a bank heist to steal money; they could steal money and stay in a room thousands of miles away and never be seen or heard. This phenomenon has also trickled down to developing nations, arming the modern urban guerrilla with a new tool kit to exploit. As a result, insurgents have become more lethal than ever due to these technologies.
The Intersection of Physical and Cyber Conflict: The Future of Warfare
Cyber espionage and cyber warfare tactics are critical strategic tools that can be utilized on the battlefield, physically, and in the context of cyber. With the emergence of technology facilitating entirely new means to seek political objectives, there seems to be a never-ending stream of cyber activities varying on where they seem to fit within the gray zone. Both cyber espionage and cyber warfare are critical components of any strategy or conflict and are the future.
Preparing for the Future: Challenges and Threats Facing Developing World Cities
The increasing population and littoralization around coastlines bring future challenges, vulnerabilities, and conflicts. In the future, we may face as many threats brought on by technology as we do from ourselves. More specifically, the repercussions from the megatrends of urbanization, littoralization, and connectedness (Kilcullen 21). These trends may manifest in ways such as overpopulated areas, overstretched online city systems, and political and biological hazards - which we will examine further in this essay.
The Symbiotic Relationship between Urban Sprawl and Climate Change
The urban quad concept provides a valuable framework for understanding the symbiotic relationship between urban sprawl and climate change.
Navigating the Evolving Threat Landscape: Adapting Financial Sector Cybersecurity Efforts
In the last decade, the financial sector of the U.S. has undergone sustained targeting and subsequent disruption from Iranian Cyber Attack Campaigns. Additionally, Saudi and Middle Eastern regions have been targeted, resulting in global disruptions specific to the financial sector (Iran Cyber Global Finance Brief 1).
Ukraine's Fight Against Russia's Cyber Aggression Takes its Toll
The recent and enduring attacks from Russia on Ukraine, both covertly and overtly, have caused political, economic, and psychological strain on Ukraine and its people populace. Sustained campaigns appear to possess a variety of objectives, including but not limited to "espionage, sabotage, and … destructive effects" against multiple targets to the likes of "government, military, and critical infrastructure networks" (Case Study 1).
The Human Element: Understanding Why People Are the Weakest Link in Cybersecurity
The event selected to analyze is the Red Cross attack that occurred in January 2022, which compromised "more than half a million records" (Jennings).
The servers and network attacked belonged to the International Committee of the Red Cross and exposed sensitive personal user data and confidential information to the organization. As stated on the Red Cross official website, the data compromised was confidential and of "more than 515,000 vulnerable people, including those separated from their families due to conflict, migration and disaster, missing persons and their families, and people in detention" (1).