Hear This Idea #83 – Max Smeets on Barriers To Cyberweapons
Mar 13, 2025
Max Smeets, a Senior Researcher at ETH Zurich's Center for Security Studies, discusses the evolving landscape of cyber warfare. He dives into the intricacies of nation-state cyber operations, exploring how historical incidents like Stuxnet have shaped international norms. Smeets highlights the challenges elite cyber forces face and the implications of AI advancements for future cyber operations. He also addresses the rise of cybercrime, particularly ransomware, and the complexities of digital resistance movements in conflict scenarios.
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Digital Resistance Movement Example
- The Belarusian Cyber Partisans represent a rare case of a digital resistance movement focused on overthrowing Lukashenko's regime.
- Their operations in disrupting military railway supplies to Ukraine received attention but face challenges sustaining momentum.
Types of Cyber Operations
- Cyber operations by governments categorize into effect operations causing disruption and espionage operations aimed at stealth.
- Military often conducts effect operations causing visible impact, while intelligence agencies focus on covert data theft.
Critical Infrastructure Attack Complexity
- Attacking critical infrastructure requires understanding both IT and OT/SCADA systems, intersecting cyber skills with engineering knowledge.
- Effective sabotage like Stuxnet depends on reconstructing physical operational environments for testing malware.