Executive Summary

On 3 March 2014, the Military Transformations Programme (MTP) organised a workshop titled: “Rethinking Information & Cyber Warfare: Global Perspectives and Strategic Insights.” The workshop focused on the increasingly changing dynamics between national security, defence strategy, information conflicts and cyber operations. In doing so, the workshop addressed the emerging theoretical and conceptual debates underscoring cyber conflicts, the political, legal, and technological context shaping information operations and cyber warfare, and a range of case studies of how selected states are conceptualising cyber warfare in their strategic thought, defence planning, and operational conduct.

Acknowledging the need to examine cyber conflicts and cyber security through multi-level, inter-disciplinary, and international perspectives, the workshop brought together renowned scholars in strategic studies, policy experts, defence planners, information technology experts, and business leaders from the United States, Germany, Israel, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, and Singapore. No single, overarching consensus emerged on the strategic implications of cyber warfare. Instead, the discussions demonstrated the enormous complexity of the issue. The discussions also demonstrated significant nuances in the perceptions, strategies, and responses to varying cyber threats – many of which are captured in this report.

Ultimately, cyber security will increasingly shape both military and technological futures.  RSIS Military Transformations Programme promotes greater understanding in this area. At the same time, the idea of bringing together Asian, European, American, and Australian scholars to discuss cyber security in the broader context of strategic studies fulfilled one of the key strategic goals of RSIS: to form a global network of excellence in national security, defence and strategic studies, diplomacy and international relations.