Semi-State Actors in Cybersecurity

State actors, semi-state actors, and non-state actors such as technology companies, state-sponsored hackers, and cybercriminals are all involved in international cybersecurity. Florian J. Egloff argues that political relations in cyberspace involve concurrent collaboration and competition between states and semi-state actors, drawing on a historical analogy of mercantile companies, privateers, and pirates. He provides a new understanding of how attackers and defenders use their proximity to the state politically and offers lessons for understanding how actors exercise power in cyberspace.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 12 December 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The universe of actors involved in international cybersecurity is a diverse and complex landscape, encompassing both state actors and semi- and non-state actors. These actors include technology companies, state-sponsored hackers, and cybercriminals, each playing a unique role in the realm of cybersecurity. Among these actors, semi-state actors stand out as unique entities that operate in a close relationship with one state but are not fully integrated into state functions. In his book, Semi-State Actors in Cybersecurity, Florian J. Egloff delves into the intricate dynamics of political relations in cyberspace, highlighting the concurrent collaboration and competition between states and semi-state actors. To gain a deeper understanding of the complex interplay of cooperation and competition and the power relations that exist between these actors in international relations, Egloff draws upon a historical analogy: that of mercantile companies, privateers, and pirates.

During the 16th to 19th centuries, these actors played a pivotal role in maritime security, conducting state-sanctioned private attacks against foreign vessels. Pirates, like independent hackers today, were sometimes valuable allies, while at other times they posed a threat. They traded, explored, plundered, and controlled sea-lanes and territories across the world's oceans, often outpacing state navies that were often burdened by hierarchy.

Today, as cyberspace has become an integral part of society, the provision and undermining of security in digital spaces has emerged as a new arena for digital pirates, privateers, and mercantile companies. Egloff's analogy to piracy and privateering provides a fresh perspective on how attackers and defenders leverage their proximity to the state pol to achieve their goals. By examining the historical context of these actors and their interactions with states, Egloff offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of cybersecurity and the strategies employed by different actors to secure and protect their interests in the digital realm.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197579282