The Modern War Institute at West Point hosted a multi-disciplinary panel to discuss how the war in Ukraine is—or is not—changing core assumptions about conflict in the cyber domain. In many ways,...
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Competition in Cyberspace Project
A joint project by the Modern War Institute at West Point and the Army Cyber Institute
The Kherson Ruse: Ukraine and the Art of Military Deception
In ancient China, the general Sun Tzu counseled that “all warfare is based on deception.” Could that still be the case millennia later—after an industrial and then a digital revolution have left...
Operational Metrics: The Next Step in the Evolution of Defensive Cyberspace Operations
As a senior first lieutenant, I volunteered to teach new second lieutenants about defensive cyberspace operations. Over the course of a year, I spent over twelve hours with three different Cyber...
The Devil is in the Data: Publicly Available Information and the Risks to Force Protection and Readiness
In the early 2010s, mass protests and riots ripped through the Middle East and North Africa as the Arab Spring gathered support. Longtime authoritarians like Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia,...
Space, Cyber, and Special Operations: An Influence Triad for Global Campaigning
Throughout George Lucas’s depiction of the conflicts that gripped a galaxy long ago and far, far away, both the heroes and the villains employ a myriad of unconventional capabilities and tactics....
Mundane but Meaningful: Understanding the Consequential Ways Digital Technology is Changing Basic Wartime Tasks
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has become a test bed for theories about the conduct of modern warfare, and one of the mostly hotly debated topics has been the role of technology in contemporary...
MWI Podcast: Competition, Conflict, and Cyber
Earlier this year, we announced the launch of C2P—the Competition in Cyberspace Project—a joint initiative for which the Modern War Institute partnered with the Army Cyber Institute. The project's...
Want Better Cyber Policy? Talk to Social Scientists
Last month, Microsoft published a report on the emerging lessons from the “cyber war” in Ukraine. It provides a rich storyline and a number of historical analogies and, in emphasizing the...
When Irregular Becomes Everywhere: The Cybered Fight in Unwanted Places
Editor’s note: This article is part of the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
The Boiling Frog: China’s Rise and the West’s Distraction
Editor’s note: This article is part of the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
With Artificial Intelligence, Short-Term Risk Aversion is Long-Term Risk Seeking
Editor’s note: This article is part of the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
Forums and Influence: Chinese Competitive Strategy and Multilateral Organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean
Editor’s note: This article is part of the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
Grow, Borrow, Recruit, and Reorganize: How the Military Can Get the Personnel It Needs for Digital War
Editor’s note: This article is part of the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
Open-Source Data is Everywhere—Except the Army’s Concept of Information Advantage
Editor’s note: This article is part of the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
Understanding—and Fixing—the Army’s Challenge in Keeping Cyber Talent
This article is part of the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse issues surrounding...
Cyber at Sea: Protecting Strategic Sealift in the Age of Strategic Competition
Editor's note: This article is part of the contribution made by the Cyber & Innovation Policy Institute at the US Naval War College to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive...
A Solution Desperately Seeking Problems: The Many Assumptions of JADC2
Editor’s note: This article is part of the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
In Search of Security: Understanding the Motives Behind Iran’s Cyber-Enabled Influence Campaigns
This article is part of the contribution made by the Joint Special Operations University to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series...
Managing the Twin Challenges of Competition and Cooperation
This article is part of the contribution made by the US Army War College to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to...
The Clarion Call of Failure in Afghanistan
This article is part of the contribution made by the US Army War College to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to...
Rebalancing the Army for Military Competition
This article is part of the contribution made by the US Army War College to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to...
True or False? The Fight Against Disinformation
This article is part of the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse issues surrounding...
How to Avoid Tripping Over Russia’s Ransomware Threat
In Aesop’s fable, “The Astrologer,” a man looks up toward the stars for signs about the future. While focusing his gaze upward, however, he trips and falls in a hole on the ground in front of him....
The Games We Play: Understanding Strategic Culture Through Games
This article is part of the contribution made by the US Army War College to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to...
Better Curricula, Better Strategic Outcomes: Irregular Warfare, Great Power Competition, and Professional Military Education
This article is part of the contribution made by the US Army War College to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to...
Coercing Effectively: Rethinking the Logic and Grammar of International Competition After Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
This article is part of the contribution made by the US Army War College to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to...
Reimagining Homeland Defense
This article is part of the contribution made by the US Army War College to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to...
Forget a Whole-of-Government Cybersecurity Strategy—It’s Time for a Whole-of-Nation Approach
This article is part of the National War College’s contribution to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present...
Poor History and Failed Paradigms: Flawed Naval Strategy and Learning the Wrong Lessons from a Century of Conflict
This article is part of the National War College’s contribution to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present...
Channeling the Legacy of Kennan: Theory of Success in Great Power Competition
This article is part of the National War College’s contribution to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present...
Much Ado About Competition: The Logic and Utility of Competitive Strategy
This article is part of the National War College’s contribution to the series “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors to present...
Pressing Questions: Offensive Cyber Operations and NATO Strategy
Editor’s note: This article is part of the Army Cyber Institute’s contribution to the series, “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors...
Artificial Intelligence, Real Risks: Understanding—and Mitigating—Vulnerabilities in the Military Use of AI
Editor’s note: This article is part of the Army Cyber Institute’s contribution to the series, “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors...
Rethinking “Man, Train, and Equip” for Information Advantage
Editor’s note: This article is part of the Army Cyber Institute’s contribution to the series, “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors...
Call for Submissions: Cyber Policy Challenge Essay Contest
The Army Cyber Institute, in cooperation with the Modern War Institute and the Competition in Cyberspace Project, is pleased to announce an essay contest to generate new ideas and expand the...
Introducing the Competition in Cyberspace Project
The Modern War Institute and Army Cyber Institute are proud to announce the Competition in Cyber Project (C2P). C2P’s purpose is to provide a forum to support increased conversation between military...
Static Inertia: The Legal Challenges to Making Progress on an Effective Military Information Strategy
Editor’s note: This article is part of the Army Cyber Institute’s contribution to the series, “Compete and Win: Envisioning a Competitive Strategy for the Twenty-First Century.” The series endeavors...
Confronting Cyber Threats: Challenges and Opportunities
Editor’s note: This article is the final piece in a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary...
ODNI’s Critical Role in Cybersecurity: Facilitating Collaboration, Sharing, and A Combined Response to Foreign Threats
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
Breaking Out of Our Silos: How to Strengthen Relationships Between Service-Specific Information Operations Communities, and Why We Need To
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
Imposing Costs: Unconventional Warfare in the Information Environment
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
We Ignore the Human Domain at Our Own Peril
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
Our Digital Vulnerability Laid Bare: The Opening Gambit of the Next War
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
The Colonial Pipeline Hack Shows We Need a Better Federal Cybersecurity Ecosystem
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on diverse...
In Africa, Great Power Competition Requires a Great Strategy for Information Operations
Editor's note: This article is the eleventh in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
Population-Centric Cybersecurity: Lessons from Counterinsurgency
Editor’s note: This article is the tenth in a series, “Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment.” The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
Toward a Whole-of-Society Framework for Countering Disinformation
Editor's note: This article is the ninth in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
Manhunting the Manhunters: Digital Signature Management in the Age of Great Power Competition
Editor's note: This article is the eighth in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
Save Our Servers
Editor's note: This article is the seventh in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
Competing for Connections: Authoritarian Powers’ Use of Cyber and Influence in Latin America
Editor's note: This article is the sixth in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
Striking the Right Balance: How Russian Information Operations in the Baltic States Should Inform US Strategy in Great Power Competition
Editor's note: This article is the fifth in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
PSYOP, Cyber, and InfoWar: Combating the New Age IED
Editor's note: This article is the fourth in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
Authorities and Legal Considerations for US Cyber and Information Operations in a Contested Environment
Editor's note: This article is the third in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
Overclassification and Its Impact on Cyber Conflict and Democracy
Editor's note: This article is the second in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...
Incorporating the Cyberspace Domain: How Russia and China Exploit Asymmetric Advantages in Great Power Competition
Editor's note: This article is the first in a series, "Full-Spectrum: Capabilities and Authorities in Cyber and the Information Environment." The series endeavors to present expert commentary on...