Cyber Wars in the Middle East

Cyberwars in the Middle East explores the vertical and horizontal influence of hacking on politics and policies, with nation-states and affiliated hacking groups using it as offensive and defensive tools. Regular hackers also practice bottom-top political disruption to address issues related to their nation-states' internal politics. This book is the first to shed light on government and hacker cyber attacks in the Middle East and their ripple effect.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 194 pages
\n Publication date: 16 July 2021
\n Publisher: Rutgers University Press
\n

Cyberwars in the Middle East delve into the realm of hacking as a potent form of online political disruption, exhibiting vertical and horizontal influence. These hacking endeavors unfold along three distinct political dimensions: international, regional, and local. Author Ahmed Al-Rawi contends that political hacking emerges as an aggressive and militant means of public communication, wielded by tech-savvy individuals irrespective of their affiliations, with the ultimate goal of influencing politics and policies. Kenneth Waltz's structural realism theory finds resonance in this argument, offering a framework to explain why nation-states engage in cyber warfare against each other.

On one hand, nation-states and their associated hacking groups, such as cyber warriors, employ hacking as offensive and defensive tools in response to the cyber activities or inactivity of other nation-states. An example of this is the role of Russian Trolls during the US 2016 presidential election, disseminating disinformation on social media. This constitutes a horizontal flow of political disruption. At times, nation-states, like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, resort to hacking and surveillance tactics as a vertical flow (top-bottom) form of online political disruption, targeting their own citizens due to their oppositional or activist political views.

On the other hand, regular hackers, often politically independent, engage in a form of bottom-top political disruption to address issues related to the internal politics of their respective nation-states. For instance, a number of Iraqi, Saudi, and Algerian hackers have been involved in cyber operations aimed at exposing government corruption and promoting political reform. In some cases, hackers target ordinary citizens to express opposition to their political or ideological views, which is considered a horizontal form of online polit.

The dynamics of cyberwars in the Middle East are complex and multifaceted, reflecting the ever-evolving landscape of international relations and the use of technology for political purposes. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges posed by cyber threats, it is crucial to understand the various dimensions of hacking and their impact on society.

\n Weight: 274g\n
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 20 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781978810105\n \n