Hybrid Warfare

Introduction

It’s a blend of traditional and unorthodox tactics employed against a far more powerful opponent in order to achieve political goals that would be impossible to attain through traditional warfare. Identifying the perpetrators is frequently difficult. Non-state actors are frequently used by the state accountable for the activities in hybrid warfare, allowing it to conceal accountability. However, many cyberattacks on institutions and businesses in recent years have been far more sophisticated than “lone wolves” strikes and exhibit the characteristics of actions carried out with the help or approval of a hostile government.

Hybrid warfare has a variety of activities and covers the use of different instruments to destabilise society by influencing its decision making. Frequent instruments are:

• Interference in electoral processes: An enemy might employ a variety of tactics, including as media and social media campaigning and securing financial resources for a political party, to influence the outcome of an election in a way that suits the enemy’s political objectives. 
• Disinformation and false news: Falsehoods can be used to foster societal disintegration by an adversary who creates a parallel world. The goal is to confuse the public and make it difficult for the government to obtain public approval for a certain operation or policy. 
• Cyber-attacks: Threats of deadly cyber assaults aimed at civilians can be used by an adversary to persuade NATO governments not to come to each other’s aid in times of crisis. Attacks against hospital networks, as well as electrical and water sources, are examples. 
• Drone attacks: Cyber attacks are comparable to this, although on a smaller scale. An adversary can inflict agony on civilians by impeding the operations of airports, air ambulances, and police helicopters using remotely controlled platforms. In the early stages of a conflict, such attacks can potentially stymie military aerial activities.