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Cyberattacks: A New Weapon in the Economic Warfare Toolkit? A Study of Russian Cyberattacks on the European Energy Sector in 2022
Montaña Seisdedos, Elena ; Střítecký, Vít (vedoucí práce) ; Alì, Antonino (oponent)
Principally, this dissertation seeks to answer the question of whether cyberattacks serve as a new coercive tool in contemporary economic statecraft. This comprehensive analysis of the cyberattacks threatening the energy sector in the year 2022 serves as proof that cyber economic warfare is not merely a theoretical concept but a very real danger. Russia's actions during this period have demonstrated the potential havoc that can be wreaked upon nations through the strategic manipulation of their economies and how this can be achieved. By zooming out and seeing the bigger picture, the attacks cumulatively spell out a common trend - the weaponisation of cyberattacks for economic warfare.
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A multidisciplinary perspective on Strategic Autonomy of the European Union: interconnections between NATO and the development of the Permanent Structured Cooperation
Daval, Lola ; Alì, Antonino (vedoucí práce) ; Karásek, Tomáš (oponent)
The lack of cohesion in the understanding of Strategic Autonomy of the European Union makes it difficult to implement any policy that is meant to develop it. With the repeated fidelity of the EU to NATO in defence and security, and the repeated will of the EU to increase strategic autonomy, the research aims at understanding how both of these dynamics interact in practice. This research is not only about implementing strategic autonomy in the EU, it is mostly about looking at the interconnections between NATO and the EU in the implementation of strategic autonomy. By studying a case of implementation of strategic autonomy, it explores the opportunities and shortcomings of strategic autonomy in practice. PESCO entails military capabilities, intergovernmental logic, and differentiated cooperation within the EU which is a highpoint for this domain in the EU. The research focuses on two categories of interconnections : the legal interconnections that are set by EU Law and the member states in their own commitments to NATO, and the interconnections of PESCO with NATO as an organization on which the EU's defence is dependant. A legal analysis revealed a layered structure in the defence and security policies in the European Union which leave PESCO to be stuck between those layers : the goals set by the EU...
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Digital Threats to Democracy: Investigating the Complexities of Election Interference by Non-State Information Operations Actors and its Connection to Data Colonialism in the Global South
Brannen, Morgan ; Špelda, Petr (vedoucí práce) ; Alì, Antonino (oponent)
The integration of data-driven microtargeting techniques in political campaigning has transformed modern domestic and global politics. Contemporary elections cycles are witnessing a surge in attack advertisements, fake news, and data manipulation, fuelled by the emergence of political consulting firms like Cambridge Analytica. These firms, as non-state information operations actors (IOAs), have emerged as influential players with considerable sway over democratic stability worldwide. This dissertation aims to explore the role of such actors in Kenya's Presidential Elections of 2013 and 2017, combining existing research with the concept of 'Data Colonialism'. The study seeks to understand how non-state IOAs engage in digital election interference and potentially contribute to data colonial practices, paving the way for more effective regulation and protection of democratic processes in the Global South. This dissertation used qualitative data from investigations and news reports to thematically analyse the actions of non-state IOAs in the 2013 and 2017 Kenyan Presidential Elections. The findings were then interpreted in accordance with a data colonialism framework to understand the potential implications of digital election interference in the Global South. Through this approach, the study reveals...
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Legitimate actors or security concern? How Open-Source Intelligence hobbyists are changing the nature of conflict
Campbell, Adam ; Střítecký, Vít (vedoucí práce) ; Alì, Antonino (oponent)
Open source intelligence (OSINT) has played an unprecedented role in understanding the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Those who disseminate OSINT in their spare time have become popular sources of information concerning the conflict. Despite this, the field currently lacks research into the legitimacy of OSINT hobbyists. This study aims to provide a legitimacy metric to assess the legitimacy of these emerging actors and outline their levels of contribution to security governance during the conflict. An original metric utilised Gentry (2019) and Shappard (2018) as frames of reference. The legitimacy metric was created and three case studies of OSINT hobbyists (@IntelCrab, @oryxsioenkop and @CanadianUkrain1) were tested through the metric. It was hypothesized that if the OSINT hobbyists demonstrated levels of due process, accountability, and transparency they can display levels of normative and cognitive legitimacy. Furthermore, it was hypothesised that if OSINT hobbyists showed to influence the epistemic OSINT community, the media, and the elite decision-maker, they have impacted security governance and can be deemed legitimate actors. The results from the original legitimacy metric showed high levels of legitimacy for @IntelCrab and @Oryx and low levels of legitimacy for...
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Cryptocrime, blockchain, and beyond: Investigating criminals' illicit use of cryptocurrency and exploring law enforcement opportunities
Ghimire, Mukesh ; Gallen, James (vedoucí práce) ; Alì, Antonino (oponent)
In recent years, cryptocurrencies have evolved and become widespread. The anonymity and decentralisation of these technologies have attracted criminals who use them to buy and sell illegal products on the black market while hiding their identities and avoiding punishment. Cryptocurrencies, a new technological development, have their own positive and negative consequences as they can be used by criminals to perform illegal activities. At the same time, cryptocurrencies are being used by law enforcement bodies for investigations. Also viewed as a concern is the illicit use of cryptocurrencies for money laundering, terrorism financing and sanctions evasion on the global levels. The introduction and advancement of analytical tools enable law enforcement to track suspect addresses using the blockchain's records of bitcoin transactions. Concurrently, anti-money laundering (AML) rules and financial authorities have played a crucial role in the battle against money laundering and collecting vital role in the fight against money laundering and the collection of intelligence on suspicious activity conducted via financial institutions. This dissertation's study aims to evaluate the illegal and legal usage of cryptocurrencies to understand better whether they should be considered a danger to global or national...
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The economic warfare of the European Union against Russia: An assessment of the political effects
Montalti, Eugenio ; Ludvík, Jan (vedoucí práce) ; Alì, Antonino (oponent)
This research intercepts the need for a more in dept study of sanctions' effectiveness. While the US are well studied upon, the EU does not manage to obtain the same amount of academic attention. With the importance of the EU as economic and global actor, the way they adopt economy as a weapon must be investigated. This study aims at tackling this vacancy while further investing in the literature of the effectiveness of economic sanctions. Keywords European Union, Economic Warfare, Sanctions, Russia, Ukraine, Policies, Public statements
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