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Cyber Warning Intelligence: Enhancing Predictive Capabilities in Cyberspace. A Comparative Study of the American and Italian Cases
Signor, Sofia ; Střítecký, Vít (vedoucí práce) ; Scotto, Thomas (oponent)
Cyber Warning Intelligence: Enhancing Predictive Capabilities in Cyberspace. A Comparative Study of the American and Italian Cases July 2023 University of Glasgow: 2686635S University of Trento: 233481 Charles University: 722530 Presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies Word count: 24141 Supervisor: Prof. doc. Dr. Vit Stritecky, M.Phil., Ph.D. Date of Submission: 26/07/2023 Abstract The present research project addresses the question of how cybersecurity strategies currently adopted by public and private major organisations might be revised in light of a constantly evolving and increasingly sophisticated cyber threat ecosystem that demands a radical paradigm shift not towards the enhancement of early detection of and reaction to cyber incidents but towards the acquisition of capabilities to forecast them. More specifically, the author revives the Cold War-era concept and practices of indications and warning (I&W) intelligence and attempts to contribute to that line of academic work that has more recently applied them to the cybersecurity context. It is argued that integrating I&W intelligence methodologies within one's extant cybersecurity structures is essential to limit one's exposure to cyber risks and...
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Disinformation in France: A Strategy of Information Warfare in the Digital Age
Bourdas, Annabelle Marie Amelie ; Střítecký, Vít (vedoucí práce) ; Scotto, Thomas (oponent)
Political elections are a fertile ground for disinformation campaigns to prosper as have shown studies on Brexit and the 2016 US elections. The 2022 presidential French elections took place in a particular setting due to the social and political context marked by the rise of far-right parties and movements as well as the succession of crises such as the 2015 terrorist attacks, 2018 yellow vests movement, the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. This context and the health crisis in particular have given a new lease of life to far-right movements. Indeed, they spread disinformation, mainly on social media, on the pandemic and fuelled anti-system feelings to advance their agenda. In this context, the far-right political candidate to the 2022 elections, Éric Zemmour, a famous polemicist, thrived and managed to impose himself in the national political landscape. He did so notably by using discursive practices and his media presence. As a result, there has been a banalisation of far-right rhetoric and conspiracy theories in society. This has two major consequences: first, the undermining of democratic and electoral processes and second, the risk of a resurgence of domestic terrorism. Therefore, disinformation is a threat for democracies as they exacerbate social tensions and divisions which can...
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The Rise of Net-States in the Cyberspace: Cyber Power Dynamics and the Disruption of International Security
Valencia Rojas, Andrea Lissette ; Kučera, Tomáš (vedoucí práce) ; Scotto, Thomas (oponent)
In this new era, the world is progressively moving towards the 4th Industrial Revolution based on the principle of merging the physical with the digital life. This paradigm shift towards greater inclusion of technological innovations and services has incited to reconsider how international security is perceived - particularly within the new cyber domain. In contrast to the physical world, the cyberspace has no borders and invites a more globalised approach, offering abundant opportunities of political, economic and social consequences. Thus, the digital domain highlights new security challenges that may have strategic impact on the real world. The present dissertation was undertaken to investigate the novel phenomenon designated as Net state and evaluate its power and impact in the international security landscape. Adopting a neorealism theoretical framework, predominant paradigm in IR, it also attempted to determine how the integration of a cyber reality into the international politics can alter traditional conceptions of security. Findings suggests that Net states have theoretical implications to be considered as a unit of level under the same conceptual standards as traditional states, and predicts that the cyber-physical revolution has the possibility to exacerbate interactions between states...
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American Far-Right Groups: The extremist to terrorist pipeline?
Godonou, Priscus ; Rivetti, Paola (vedoucí práce) ; Scotto, Thomas (oponent)
of dissertation entitled American Far-Right: The Extremist to Terrorist Pipeline? Submitted by PRISCUS GODONOU The present research's intent is to look at the normalization of far-right discourse and the violence it seems to foster in its adherents in the United States of America. Indeed, American congress labeled far-right leaning extremists as their most significant domestic terrorism threat with fatalities exceeding those caused by radical Islamists since 9/11. In light of that, it seems important to look at the factors that could facilitate the shift of far-right extremists to terrorist methods. To do so, this paper pursues a Small-N case study of two far-right groups on opposite ends of the extremist to terrorist spectrum: the American Freedom Party and the (American) Proud Boys to seek out differences and similarities. Ultimately, this research argues that the shift from extremist ideas to violence is encouraged by group thinking and an exclusionary ideal shared by far-right groups which creates a dichotomous perception of the world that hinges on an in-group versus out-group dynamic which is seen as a struggle for survival. Keywords: Far-Right, Extremism, Terrorism, Group Identity, White Supremacy, the American Freedom Party, the Proud Boys Word Count: 195
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The demonization of women's health and the criminalization of abortion: a health security threat and violation of human rights
Sobrero, Eleonora ; McDonagh, Ken (vedoucí práce) ; Scotto, Thomas (oponent)
Eleonora Sobrero 2702631S Abstract This thesis explores the multifaceted issue of the demonisation of women's health and the criminalisation of abortion, highlighting its profound implications for health security and human rights violations. The study focuses on the cases of the United States and Poland, analysing the waves of liberalisation and repression of access to abortion and the persecutory methods resulting from criminalisation. Starting with a comparison of the abortion waves in the two countries, which originated in the mid-20th century and triggered opposite reactions, the research explores the subsequent ebb and flow of abortion rights. Recent events, such as the Polish Constitutional Court's ban on abortion for foetal harm in 2020 and the reversal of Roe v. Wade in the United States in 2022, highlight contemporary challenges to abortion access. Analysis of maternal mortality rates reveals significant differences between the case studies. Poland's top-down approach fostered a robust anti-abortion movement that led to prolonged restrictions. In contrast, U.S. legislation was achieved through feminist struggle, leading to a more gradual but steady approach to restrictions. These differences in legal frameworks manifested themselves in different trends in maternal mortality and access to...
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Follow the Money: Financial Investigations Process in the European Union
Karlsone, Laima ; Glouftsios, Georgios (vedoucí práce) ; Scotto, Thomas (oponent)
Follow the Money: Financial Investigations Process in the European Union Abstract This field analysis study explores the financial investigations process in the European Union from a theory, EU-policy, and practical implementation standpoint. The study examines the origins and justification of asset-focused crime control measures and their legal framework, lists the involved stakeholders, describes their function and interactions, and illustrates financial investigations utility in serious and organised crime and terrorist financing cases. Financial investigations can aid in developing a criminal investigation narrative and hypothesis, by utilizing available financial intelligence in identifying and connecting suspects to each other, to geographical locations, to services. Conversely, transactional information can point to offences prior unknown to the authorities. Despite its added value, financial investigations process, especially of cross-border nature, is faced with various challenges, such as varying levels of relevant EU law transposition in national legislation, lack of access to information held by the non-financial sector, or other member states, and insufficient statistics on criminal assets and asset recovery regime implementation Union-wide.
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Sacred Bodies: Gendered Experiences within the QAnon Mythology
Sandy, Brianna Nicole ; Střítecký, Vít (vedoucí práce) ; Scotto, Thomas (oponent)
The QAnon conspiracy theory has been flagged as a threat to national security and to social cohesiveness in the United States and abroad. While many researchers have addressed separately the religious dimensions of the conspiracy and the differences in how men and women interact with the conspiracy, research that considers how both aspects feed into each other has been absent. This paper seeks to fill that research gap through a thematic content analysis of the gendered theologies that QAnon draws on and creates. Through examination of the 'canon' of Q drops from 2017-2022 under a lens of feminist political theology, this paper explores thematic overlaps with evangelical and New Age religious movements and examines how constructions of gender within each are reflected or transformed within the conspiracy.
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Investigating international factors aiding an authoritarian turn: The case of Tunisia
Narain, Saurav ; Rivetti, Paola (vedoucí práce) ; Scotto, Thomas (oponent)
Thesis Title: Investigating international factors aiding an authoritarian turn - The case of Tunisia. Student Number: 45002189 Abstract: This thesis examines the role of the European Union's discourse towards Tunisia since the Arab Spring in contributing to the consolidation of executive power by President Kais Saied over the country's institutions. It connects Tunisia's domestic discourse to theoretical underpinnings from the literature review and transposes the EU's discourse through theory as well. The study first analyzes Tunisia's trajectory in democratic transitions between 2011 and 2014, which initially showed progress but later faced political infighting and instability leading to public discontent. The rise of activated citizenship as a catalyst for regime change is acknowledged, but it becomes ineffective in affecting democratic gains, confirming the significance of elite power. Weak elite relations and perceived corruption render Tunisian institutions vulnerable to power consolidation attempts. Regarding the EU's discourse, it is observed that the EU's targeted democracy promotion efforts did not foster democracy's prosperity in Tunisia. The EU's key elements of discourse focus on economic reforms, but social and institutional reforms receive weak support from powerful political groups, including...
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Mindful Maneuvers: A Normative Framework for Disinformation Defence Using Cognitive Security
Dantuluri, Vamsi Varma ; Střítecký, Vít (vedoucí práce) ; Scotto, Thomas (oponent)
In an era marked by digital interconnection, the phenomenon of disinformation has evolved into a critical challenge to both individual and collective cognitive security. This thesis identifies disinformation as not merely a byproduct of the information age but as a tactical weapon, wielded by various state and non-state actors to influence, distort, and destabilize, with the potential to sway democratic processes. The current global landscape, characterized by polarization and hybrid warfare, has elevated the role of disinformation in exploiting vulnerabilities to erode societal trust and credibility. The thesis acknowledges the limitations of conventional security measures in countering disinformation, and instead advocates for translating proactive strategies from cybersecurity such as encryption, threat modelling, and constant monitoring into the cognitive security domain. A comprehensive, pioneering framework is proposed that integrates artificial intelligence, machine learning, cognitive psychology, and other disciplines, aiming to provide robust protection against disinformation's insidious effects. The proposed framework emphasizes privacy by design and insists on a strict data trail to mitigate abuse. Potential constraints, such as practical implementation hurdles, consent overhaul,...
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