On Qualification of the Phenomenon of Hybridism of the Use of Force and the Problem of Interference in Internal Affairs of a State

The purpose of this article is to eliminate methodological discrepancies in the definition of the problem of “hybrid” use of force and the possibility of using this construct when interfering in the internal affairs of states. In any conflict situation, the behavior of states in moving towards their national goals can be explained through how they do combine and synchronize (as it is often defined at the present time — «hybrid») the use of means of compellence and coercion available to them. In general, conceptually «hybrid war» can be described as “the synchronized use of multiple instruments of national power, specially selected to obtain mutually reinforcing effects on specific vulnerabilities across the entire spectrum of social processes. The substance of the modern security environment has led to an increase in the number of areas of conflict of interests of actors, the complexity and dynamism of conflicts, and the unpredictability of their outcomes. The formation of the practice of attribution of international responsibility, and the development of the international institutions supporting it, took place gradually and, ultimately, led to such a development of the international security environment, which made an appeal to «hybridity» to promote national interests in the process of political competition of social groups or individuals with divergent interests for power inevitable. The problem of terminology is one of the main obstacles to a clear understanding of the operation of the «hybridity» construct in political competition. The active use of the definition «hybrid» by propaganda in combination with the terms «war», «threats», «hostilities in the gray zone», «operations», «tactics», «competition does not turn into a state of war» political discourse, since these terms are almost never linked to the definition of the desired state of international relations by the state leadership. And if we are talking about the outcome of the collision of interests of actors in competition or conflict, then this desired result is «historically» defined by the term «victory». Thus, the definition of the substance of «victory» is a necessary initial point to onset analyzing the possibilities of turning to any of the instruments of national power in a «hybrid» confrontation.

Optimized operation of regional reserve forces in a changing future security environment

The Republic of Korea Reserve Forces (ROKRF), established in 1968, continue to function through continuous changes such as improving laws and systems and optimizing organizations while complying with social and policy changes. However, the reduction of standing forces, changes in the operating environment, and the reduction of reserve forces required to carry out operations require the re-establishment of the concept of operation of regional reserve forces. In this study, we aimed to diagnose the phenomenon of regional reserve groups and derive an optimized operation plan for regional reserve groups in consideration of changes in the future security environment, operation support system, and law and order system. The operating system presented the mission of establishing local reserve forces suitable for the operating environment, organization, and organization maintenance for the future as well as maintenance and development of combat power through education and training. Finally, in the law and order system section, a plan to revise laws was proposed in consideration of the task of operating and constructing regional reserve forces and re-establishing them.

A Secure Environment Using a New Lightweight AES Encryption Algorithm for E-Commerce Websites

Providing security for transmitted data through the e-commerce environment requires using a fast and high secure encryption algorithm. Balancing between the speed and the security degree is a problem that many of the encryption algorithms suffer from. Increasing the security degree requires increasing the level of complexity which results in increasing encryption time. On the other hand, increasing the algorithm speed may reduce the complexity degree which affects the security level. This paper aims to design an encryption algorithm that balances time and complexity (speed and security). This is done by suggesting a security environment that depends on creating and providing an agent software to be settled into each customer device that manages the purchase and security process without customer interference. The suggested encryption algorithm is applied within this environment. Several modifications are performed on the AES encryption algorithm. The AES was chosen due to its performance (security and speed), which makes it suitable for encrypting transmitted data over the Internet. These modifications involve adding preprocessing steps (padding and zigzag), eliminating Sub Byte step, and reducing the number of rounds. The experimental results showed that the suggested algorithm provides more security and speed in the encryption and decryption process. The randomness degree has increased by 29.5%. The efficiency is increased because the encryption and decryption times are reduced, as is the CPU usage. The throughput for the suggested algorithm is increased by 10% for the encryption process and is increased by 9.3% for the decryption process.

Addressing Russian Threat. Changes to Defence Policies of the Nordic States After 2014

The substantial deterioration of the security environment after Russian aggression against Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 was a catalyst for significant changes in the Nordic states’ approach to security and defence. Common perceptions of the Russian threat focused defence policies of the Nordic states around rebuilding total defence capabilities, which would combine military and civilian efforts. Besides these efforts to reinforce national capacity to defend against an armed attack, the Nordic states increased regional security and defence cooperation, along with cooperation with NATO, the EU and the United States. The article explores the developments in defence policies of the Nordic states that were a result of changes in the security environment caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. It tries to discuss differences in national threat assessment, and then compare and contrast unique national approaches to defence policies that were adopted by the Nordic states. The conclusion conceptualizes unique features of the Nordic approach to defence stemming from the common threat to their security.

Casting the atomic canon: (R)evolving nuclear strategy

Looming decisions on arms control and strategic weapon procurements in a range of nuclear-armed states are set to shape the international security environment for decades to come. In this context, it is crucial to understand the concepts, theories, and debates that condition nuclear policymaking. This review essay dissects the four editions of The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy, the authoritative intellectual history of its subject. Using this widely acclaimed work as a looking glass into the broader field of nuclear security studies, we interrogate the field's underlying assumptions and question the correspondence between theory and practice in the realm of nuclear policy. The study of nuclear strategy, we maintain, remains largely committed to an interpretive approach that invites analysts to search for universal axioms and to abstract strategic arguments from the precise circumstances of their occurrence. While this approach is useful for analysing the locutionary dimension of strategic debates, it risks obscuring the power structures, vested interests, and illocutionary forces shaping nuclear discourse. In the conclusion, we lay out avenues for future scholarship.

DESTABILIZING EUROPE: RUSSIA’S HYBRID WARFARE

The European Union is in a political and security crisis. The crisis tends to become existential, which undermines the future of the EU as an integration project. The conflict of values between liberal democracy and authoritarianism is becoming an important factor in international security. Negative current trends in the international security environment increase risks for the EU. In its foreign policy the EU does not demonstrate the ability to speak with one voice. It does not support EU’s ambition to be a global international actor. Within the EU, centrifugal tendencies and Euroscepticism appear to be gaining ground. Among the destructive external and internal factors affecting European security, the hybrid threat posed by Moscow’s ambitious plans and aggressive actions is at the forefront. These actions are aimed at undermining democracies, international solidarity and security. Russia is systematically acting to destabilize the EU, using a set of means of destructive influence, trying to undermine European unity both externally and internally. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, operations in Syria and Libya, interference in domestic processes in the EU, etc., are exacerbating destructive trends in the European security environment. In this con- text, the EU faces the need to increase its resilience, as a tool to deter destructive actions of the Russian Federation and a means to mitigate their effect. The purpose of the article is to analyze the causes and consequences of Russia’s hybrid influence against the EU, plus to identify the means of Russia’s destructive impact, such as the spread of misinformation, active special operations, energy pressure, etc. The article examines the imperatives of Russian foreign policy, the impact of the value crisis on the European project and its future, as well as obstacles to strategic dialogue between the EU and Russia. Europe returns to searching for its collective European identity, discussing revitalization of the global European narrative. Maintaining a system of liberal democratic values is a key precondition for the future of the EU in order to avoid the risk of disintegration of the European Union. Sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, its national security could be guaranteed only by full-fledged integration into the European political, economic and security space. Europe’s hesitations regarding the European perspective for Ukraine, which arise under pressure from the Kremlin and internal contradictions in the EU, negatively affect the security environment in Europe.

The Multidimensional Impact on Society of Cyber Attacks Targeting the Energy Critical Infrastructure Sector

The security environment is experiencing unprecedented dynamics, absorbing and counteracting elements that generate challenges and threats, favoring aspects (apparently) beneficial to development and responding to the most unique threats that manage to have an increased impact on new areas of public interest, thus weakening national security. This paper aims to highlight the variety of effects on the various areas of the global social system that can be generated by a vital infrastructure that has become dysfunctional as a result of a cyber attack. Also, the article discusses the way in which various cyber attacks on the energy sector were orchestrated against the background of alleged rivalries between states.

Quantum Technologies Impact on Electromagnetic Spectrum Monitoring

Electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) superiority represents a prerequisite for resilient defence strategies, capable of effective and adequate response to our global security environment. Besides, quantum communications are being considered one of the most promising technologies with applications in security related domains. To this extent, the development of quantum communication infrastructures will significantly impact the architecture of the modern electromagnetic operational environment. Quantum technologies pave the way towards revolutionary technologies by exploiting physical phenomena from different angles and enabling extremely sensitive measurements of multiple parameters including electromagnetic fields. This paper aims to present a short description of quantum technologies with applications for electromagnetic spectrum monitoring and discusses their impact on future electromagnetic warfare operations.

A versatile organisation: Mapping the military's core roles in a changing security environment

What roles are military institutions expected to play in today's rapidly changing security environment? How are they supposed to interact with the society they are tasked to protect? These questions have been posed by classical military sociologists as well as by a newer generation of scholars. Yet so far, a comprehensive mapping of the military's potential roles in contemporary society is missing. In this article we contribute to an update of this debate by providing a categorisation of the different roles and tasks that the military institution plays in current industrialised democratic states. We identify three core roles, each divided into subroles, by drawing on an extensive reading of 70 National White Papers and Security Strategies from 37 OECD member states: (collective) defence, collective security, and aid to the nation. We analyse how these roles and tasks influence recent configurations in civil-military relations. This study thereby contributes with: (1) a useful illustration of the military's shifting roles and tasks in contemporary society; (2) increased understandings of how the different roles impact civil-military relations and related to this; and (3) a practical starting point for further analyses of the military organisation's internal challenges related to its, at times, contradictory roles.