January 14, 2019

COMMENT / Naiara Goñi

The dazzle of a few years ago by the enormous possibilities of big data, when the mainstream media echoed its extreme usefulness for the provision of services in a democratic society, provided it was in good hands, has given way in a short time to a generalized pessimism, fueled by the increase in cyber-attacks on companies and States and a greater threat to the privacy and freedoms of citizens.

In 2010, The Economist magazine published a special graduate feature"Data, data everywhere" welcoming the era of a new revolution, this time not based on steam or chip, but on data. "The effect is being felt everywhere, from business to science, from governments to the arts. Scientists and computer engineers have coined a new term for the phenomenon: 'big data'."

The dangers to privacy and freedoms posed by the storage of huge amounts of information on each individual in a society had already been pointed out, but at that time the possibilities that were opening up weighed more heavily. In the field of cybersecurity, which has had a parallel development to that of big data, with which it is closely related, Henry Kissinger was already warning at that time of optimism that the future would not be placid.

In his book World Order (2014)1 , the experienced American politician and diplomat pointed to the risk that the development of this new technology posed to international stability. Although he was not the only voice to speak out early on this issue, Kissinger's authority in the field of diplomacy allows us to use him here as a reference letter. If Zhou Enlai said that diplomacy is a war continued by other means, today we can say the same about cyberwarfare.

In the graduate chapter "Technology, Balance and Human Consciousness", Kissinger notes that the backbone of the concept of cybersecurity is technology. He emphasizes the fact that in the past, cyber was an element that could not be controlled in its entirety, and therefore became an adjunct in war situations. Today, however, it has become a factor to be taken into account, thus altering the capabilities of the actors involved in the world order. Kissinger states that greater or lesser world stability will depend on who develops this technology and for what purposes.

It is therefore appropriate to inquire into the theoretical and ethical limits concerning this technological development . In fact, Kissinger affirms that "the penetration of network communications in the social, financial, industrial and military sectors (...) by pre-empting most rules and regulations (...) has created that state of nature that philosophers speculated about".

Kissinger takes a closer look at the notion of cybersecurity, mentioning that the technological revolution has led to two different types of response. On the one hand, democratic countries allow this revolution. On the other hand, countries with totalitarian regimes tend to dominate or impose themselves on it.

Although, as has been said, access to data was welcomed with optimism, Kissinger's words are somewhat alarming and cause for concern, which has only recently become more pronounced. In recent months, there have been numerous international examples of disruptive hacking, cyberespionage of companies or political formations and cyber-interference in electoral campaigns.

In its 2018 edition, the National Cryptologic Center's (CNN) Cyber Threats and Trendsreport indicates that "state actors - analogously to criminal organizations - are in a permanent search for new methods that allow them to infiltrate networks undetected."

There are many cases of attempted cyber espionage by non-democratic governments. In China, for example, a new online search engine is being developed: "Dragonfly". This tool will allow the Chinese government to exercise greater censorship and control, as stated by a publishing house of The New York Times.

However, the CCN notes that the prognosis in democratic countries is not much more hopeful: "During the coming period, experts expect a growth in cyberespionage due to geopolitical triggers or economic sanctions, but also, due to the strategic objectives of nations."

The only possible way to control this phenomenon is clear and strict legislation, both internationally and in each State. However, it should be noted that this is a reality that is advancing at a much faster rate than legislation, and that it does so regardless of consensus and definitions.

Kissinger, H. (2014). World Order. New York: Penguin Press.