A Third World War: The Battle for Data and Digital Infrastructure
In today's digital universe, data has become the new gold, with a few global powers and corporations holding significant control.
In times of conflict, one of the first strategies is to destabilize critical digital infrastructure:
- In Ukraine, for example, several data centers were targeted early on, leading to the loss of important national data, such as birth certificates and land ownership records.
- Ukraine has also faced numerous denial of service (DDoS) attacks, as highlighted by ZDNet and The Guardian.
- Cyberattacks are increasingly being used to influence public opinion or disrupt infrastructure.
- Many countries are not adequately prepared for such scenarios, as discussed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
- Intelligence organizations continue to gather information, often in ways that raise concerns, such as those documented in this report.
Only a small number of countries have the resources to participate in this new kind of global competition, while many others remain vulnerable and reliant on the protection of stronger nations.
Additionally, much of the IT and network equipment used worldwide is sourced from a few major players, with some systems containing vulnerabilities by design.