The Effect of External Safeguards on Human-Information System Trust in an Information Warfare Environment

This research looks at how human trust in an information system is influenced by external safeguards in an Information Warfare (1W) domain. Information systems are relied upon in command and control environments to provide fast and reliable information to the decision-makers. The degree of reliance placed in these systems by the decision-makers suggests a significant level of trust. Understanding this trust relationship and what effects it is the focus of this study. A model is proposed that predicts behavior associated with human trust in information systems. It is hypothesized that a decision-maker\u27s belief in the effectiveness of external safeguards will positively influence a decision-maker\u27s trusting behavior. Likewise, the presence of an Information Warfare attack will have a negative effect on a decision-maker\u27s trusting behavior. Two experiments were conducted in which the perceived effectiveness of external safeguards and the information provided by an information system were manipulated in order to test the hypotheses presented in this study. The findings from both experiments suggest that a person\u27s trust in computers in specific situations are useful in predicting trusting behavior, external safeguards have a negative effect on trusting behavior, and that Information Warfare attacks have no effect on trusting behavior

An Evaluation Schema for the Ethical Use of Autonomous Robotic Systems in Security Applications

We propose a multi-step evaluation schema designed to help procurement agencies and others to examine the ethical dimensions of autonomous systems to be applied in the security sector, including autonomous weapons systems

Task Load and Automation Use in an Uncertain Environment

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects that user task load level has on the relationship between an individual\u27s trust in and subsequent use of a system\u27s automation. Automation research has demonstrated a positive correlation between an individual\u27s trust in and subsequent use of the automation. Military decision-makers trust and use information system automation to make many tactical judgments and decisions. In situations of information uncertainty (information warfare environments), decision-makers must remain aware of information reliability issues and temperate their use of system automation if necessary. An individual\u27s task load may have an effect on his use of a system\u27s automation in environments of information uncertainty. It was hypothesized that user task load will have a moderating effect on the positive relationship between system automation trust and use of system automation. Specifically, in situations of information uncertainty (low trust), high task load will have a negative effect on the relationship. To test this hypothesis, an experiment in a simulated command and control micro-world was conducted in which system automation trust and individual task load were manipulated. The findings from the experiment support the positive relationship between automation trust and automation use found in previous research and suggest that task load does have a negative effect on the positive relationship between automation trust and automation use

Governance of Dual-Use Technologies: Theory and Practice

The term dual-use characterizes technologies that can have both military and civilian applications. What is the state of current efforts to control the spread of these powerful technologies—nuclear, biological, cyber—that can simultaneously advance social and economic well-being and also be harnessed for hostile purposes? What have previous efforts to govern, for example, nuclear and biological weapons taught us about the potential for the control of these dual-use technologies? What are the implications for governance when the range of actors who could cause harm with these technologies include not just national governments but also non-state actors like terrorists? These are some of the questions addressed by Governance of Dual-Use Technologies: Theory and Practice, the new publication released today by the Global Nuclear Future Initiative of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The publication's editor is Elisa D. Harris, Senior Research Scholar, Center for International Security Studies, University of Maryland School of Public Affairs. Governance of Dual-Use Technologies examines the similarities and differences between the strategies used for the control of nuclear technologies and those proposed for biotechnology and information technology. The publication makes clear the challenges concomitant with dual-use governance. For example, general agreement exists internationally on the need to restrict access to technologies enabling the development of nuclear weapons. However, no similar consensus exists in the bio and information technology domains. The publication also explores the limitations of military measures like deterrence, defense, and reprisal in preventing globally available biological and information technologies from being misused. Some of the other questions explored by the publication include: What types of governance measures for these dual-use technologies have already been adopted? What objectives have those measures sought to achieve? How have the technical characteristics of the technology affected governance prospects? What have been the primary obstacles to effective governance, and what gaps exist in the current governance regime? Are further governance measures feasible? In addition to a preface from Global Nuclear Future Initiative Co-Director Robert Rosner (University of Chicago) and an introduction and conclusion from Elisa Harris, Governance of Dual-Use Technologiesincludes:On the Regulation of Dual-Use Nuclear Technology by James M. Acton (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)Dual-Use Threats: The Case of Biotechnology by Elisa D. Harris (University of Maryland)Governance of Information Technology and Cyber Weapons by Herbert Lin (Stanford University

When Terrorism Threatens Health: How Far are Limitations on Personal and Ecomonic Liberties Justified

The government is engaged in a homeland-security project to safeguard the population\u27s health from potential terrorist attacks. This project is politically charged because it affords the state enhanced powers to restrict personal and economic liberties. Just as governmental powers relating to intelligence, law enforcement, and criminal justice curtail individual interests, so too do public health powers

Global Risks 2015, 10th Edition.

The 2015 edition of the Global Risks report completes a decade of highlighting the most significant long-term risks worldwide, drawing on the perspectives of experts and global decision-makers. Over that time, analysis has moved from risk identification to thinking through risk interconnections and the potentially cascading effects that result. Taking this effort one step further, this year's report underscores potential causes as well as solutions to global risks. Not only do we set out a view on 28 global risks in the report's traditional categories (economic, environmental, societal, geopolitical and technological) but also we consider the drivers of those risks in the form of 13 trends. In addition, we have selected initiatives for addressing significant challenges, which we hope will inspire collaboration among business, government and civil society communitie

Global Risks 2012, Seventh Edition

The World Economic Forum's Global Risks 2012 report is based on a survey of 469 experts from industry, government, academia and civil society that examines 50 global risks across five categories. The report emphasizes the singular effect of a particular constellation of global risks rather than focusing on a single existential risk. Three distinct constellations of risks that present a very serious threat to our future prosperity and security emerged from a review of this year's set of risks. Includes a special review of the important lessons learned from the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and the subsequent nuclear crisis at Fukushima, Japan. It focuses on therole of leadership, challenges to effective communication in this information age and resilient business models in response to crises of unforeseen magnitude

Comunicação digital e ameaças híbridas

La amenaza híbrida es un concepto que aparece en documentos oficiales y estrategias de seguridad de los estados. Tanto la UE como la OTAN han tomado medidas serias para contrarrestar la actividad relacionada con las amenazas híbridas. Este monográfico sobre comunicación digital y amenazas híbridas tiene como objetivo avanzar en la comprensión de cómo los actores de amenazas híbridas utilizan y pueden potencialmente explotar el entorno de la información para atacar las sociedades democráticas y los procesos de toma de decisiones en diferentes niveles, para diferentes propósitos. Las TIC han traído avances notables en la forma en que obtenemos información y construimos conciencia sobre el mundo y sus eventos e interactuamos con los demás, pero al mismo tiempo crean oportunidades para realizar operaciones  e influenciar con una intención hostil. La guerra política, las medidas activas y las acciones encubiertas dirigidas por la comunicación no son nuevas, y la propaganda se ha utilizado a lo largo de la historia en situaciones de conflicto y guerra. Estas herramientas son empleadas por actores autoritarios hostiles y / o en una escala que ha interferido en procesos democráticos como las elecciones, erosiona la confianza en las instituciones, polariza y divide las sociedades de manera malsana. Dado que los seres humanos toman decisiones basadas en sus representaciones sobre el mundo y la información disponible a través de interacciones simbólicas interpersonales y a través de los diferentes medios, la información puede ser utilizada deliberadamente para actividades malignas que produzcan efectos cognitivos, afectivos y conductuales.Hybrid Threats is a concept that has entered to many states official documents and security strategies. Both the EU and NATO have taken serious measures to counter hybrid threats related activity. This special issue on digital communication and hybrid threats aims to advance our understanding of how hybrid threat actors use and can potentially exploit the information environment for targeting our democratic societies and decision-making processes at different levels for different purposes. Information and communication technologies have brought remarkable advances in the ways we obtain information and build awareness on the world and its events and interact with the others, but at the same time these developments create opportunities for conducting information and influence operations with a hostile intent at an unprecedent scale.Political warfare, active measures, and communication-led covert actions operations are not new, and propaganda has been used throughout the history in conflict and war like situations.However today our digital communication environment and the communication tools that we employ for legitimate purposes are also being employed by hostile authoritarian actors and / or their proxies at scale that has interfered in our democratic processes like elections, erode trust in our institutions, polarize and divide our societies in an unhealthy ways and sow animosities between states and international partner countries. Since human beings make decisions based on their representations about the world and the information available through interpersonal symbolic interactions and through the different media, information can be deliberately utilized for malign activity to produce cognitive, affective and behavioral effects.Ameaças híbridas é um conceito que entrou em documentos oficiais e estratégias de segurança de muitos estados. Tanto a UE como a OTAN tomaram medidas sérias para combater a atividade relacionada com ameaças híbridas. Esta edição especial sobre comunicação digital e ameaças híbridas tem como objetivo avançar nossa compreensão de como os atores de ameaças híbridas usam e podem explorar o ambiente de informações para direcionar nossas sociedades democráticas e processos de tomada de decisão em diferentes níveis para diferentes fins. As tecnologias de informação e comunicação trouxeram avanços notáveis ​​nas maneiras como obtemos informações e construímos consciência sobre o mundo e seus eventos e interagimos com os outros, mas, ao mesmo tempo, esses desenvolvimentos criam oportunidades para conduzir informações e influenciar operações com uma intenção hostil em um escala sem precedentes. A guerra política, as medidas ativas e as operações de ações secretas conduzidas pela comunicação não são novas, e a propaganda foi usada ao longo da história em conflitos e situações semelhantes à guerra. No entanto, hoje nosso ambiente de comunicação digital e as ferramentas de comunicação que empregamos para fins legítimos também estão sendo empregados por atores autoritários hostis e / ou seus representantes em escala que tem interferido em nossos processos democráticos como eleições, corroendo a confiança em nossas instituições, polarizando e dividindo nossas sociedades de forma prejudicial à saúde e semeiam animosidades entre Estados e países parceiros internacionais.&nbsp

The duality of Information Security Management: fighting against predictable and unpredictable threats

Information systems security is a challenging research area in the context of Information Systems. In fact, it has strong practical implications for the management of IS and, at the same time, it gives very interesting insights into understanding the process of social phenomena when communication information technologies are deployed in organizations. Current standards and best practices for the design and management of information systems security, recommend structured and mechanistic approaches, such as risk management methods and techniques, in order to address security issues. However, risk analysis and risk evaluation processes have their limitations, when security incidents occur, they emerge in a context, and their rarity and even their uniqueness give rise to unpredictable threats. The analysis of these phenomena which are characterized by breakdowns, surprises and side-effects, requires a theoretical approach which is able to examine and interpret subjectively the detail of each incident. The aim of this paper is to highlight the duality of information systems security, providing an alternative view on the management of those aspects already defined in the literature as intractable problems and this is pursued through a formative context (Ciborra, Lanzara, 1994) that supports bricolage, hacking and improvisation.Information systems security is a challenging research area in the context of Information Systems. In fact, it has strong practical implications for the management of IS and, at the same time, it gives very interesting insights into understanding the process of social phenomena when communication information technologies are deployed in organizations. Current standards and best practices for the design and management of information systems security, recommend structured and mechanistic approaches, such as risk management methods and techniques, in order to address security issues. However, risk analysis and risk evaluation processes have their limitations, when security incidents occur, they emerge in a context, and their rarity and even their uniqueness give rise to unpredictable threats. The analysis of these phenomena which are characterized by breakdowns, surprises and side-effects, requires a theoretical approach which is able to examine and interpret subjectively the detail of each incident. The aim of this paper is to highlight the duality of information systems security, providing an alternative view on the management of those aspects already defined in the literature as intractable problems and this is pursued through a formative context (Ciborra, Lanzara, 1994) that supports bricolage, hacking and improvisation.Articles published in or submitted to a Journal without IF refereed / of international relevanc