
Digital
Front Lines
A sharpened focus on the risks of, and responses to, hybrid warfare.
The scale and scope of cyber operations in the lead-up to and since Russia’s February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine have been unparalleled and mark a new era of hybrid warfare in the digital age. The use of nonmilitary tactics — particularly cyber and information operations that leverage emerging technologies against military targets, civilian populations, and critical infrastructure, to achieve foreign policy and geostrategic goals — present myriad pressing challenges for the prevention and resolution of conflicts. Recognizing the need to elevate awareness of cyber operations in armed conflict, FP Analytics produced Digital Front Lines with support from Microsoft.
In addition to deepening understanding of hybrid warfare, Digital Front Lines seeks to identify opportunities for collaboration across government, industry, and civil society to mitigate its destructive impacts. The contributions from experts in government, multilateral institutions, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector along with research from FP Analytics underscore the need for sustained communication and coordination to adapt to the changing nature of warfare and effectively respond to the risks emerging from cyber operations.
ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN STAUFFER
PART I
Cyber Operations in Warfare – Ukraine and Beyond
Part I explores the impacts of cyber operations, in Ukraine and beyond, and the challenges they present to the international system, including attribution of, and response to, cyberattacks and the alignment of cyber and kinetic warfare strategies.
An FP ANALYTICS Issue Brief
The Evolution of Cyber Operations in Armed Conflict
The digital domain is increasingly a battleground for state and nonstate actors who are leveraging capabilities in cyberspace to advance strategic geopolitical goals. Read more
Unpacking Cyber Operations in Armed Conflict
How Russia’s Sustained Cyber Campaign Laid the Groundwork for Hybrid Warfare
How Attribution Challenges of Cyberattacks Can Undermine Diplomatic Consensus and Decisive Response
Looking Ahead
PART II
Multistakeholder Responses in Ukraine and Lessons Learned
Part II distills the lessons learned from multistakeholder responses to the ongoing war in Ukraine, examining the implications of cyber operations for international humanitarian law and diplomacy and highlighting the role of the tech community to track and expose information operations.
An FP ANALYTICS Issue Brief
Cross-Cutting Responses to Strengthen Ukraine’s Digital Resilience
How various international stakeholders have worked together to mitigate cyberattacks in the ongoing hybrid war Read more
In-Kind Contributions Have Strengthened Ukraine’s Cyber Resiliency
International Financial Support Has Buttressed Ukraine’s Cyber Defense
Diplomatic Actions Have Targeted Russia’s Cyber Capacity, While Bolstering Ukraine’s
Prosecution of ‘Cyber War Crimes’ Could Set Precedent for Future Conflicts
Preparing for the Next Hybrid War
PART III
Preparing for Future Hybrid Wars
Part III looks ahead to future hybrid wars and explores opportunities for partnership across government, industry, and civil society to secure cyberspace, safeguard nuclear and space assets from cyber threats, and ensure accountability for state and nonstate cyberattacks against civilians and critical infrastructure.
An FP ANALYTICS Issue Brief
Strategies to Deter and Respond to Cyber Operations in Conflict
International cooperation is integral to solve key challenges and reduce socioeconomic and geopolitical risks. Read more
Protecting Civilians and Critical Infrastructure from Cyber Operations Through International Law
Mitigating Damage and Escalation with Clear Standards and Norms on Attribution
Collaborating Across Sectors: States, Industry, Civil Society, and Academia
Pursuing Cyber Peace and Preparing for Potential Cyber Conflict
CONTRIBUTORS
Expert Insights
In the age of hybrid warfare, the impacts of cyber operations are felt across civil and military domains, and beyond. Experts from private industry, government, NGOs, multilateral institutions and more share their perspectives on a range of cybersecurity issues, identifying challenges to international peace and security, and opportunities for collaboration.
David Agranovich
Director of Threat Disruption at Meta
Tom Burt
Corporate Vice President of Customer Security and Trust at Microsoft
Amb. Sorin Ducaru
Director of the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen)
Stéphane Duguin
CEO of the CyberPeace Institute
Dr. Cordula Droege
Chief Legal Officer and Head of the Legal Division of the International Committee of the Red Cross
Dr. Comfort Ero
President and CEO of the International Crisis Group
Mykhailo Fedorov
Vice Prime Minister, Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technologies of Ukraine
Annie Fixler
Director, Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, FDD
Chris Inglis
Former U.S. National Cyber Director
Amb. Bonnie Jenkins
Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security at the U.S. Department of State.
Karim A.A. Khan KC
Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court
Dr. Peter Maurer
President of the Basel Institute on Governance and former President of the ICRC
Shelley McKinley
Chief Legal Officer of GitHub
Peter Micek
General Counsel and U.N. Advocacy Manager at Access Now
Izumi Nakamitsu
U.N. Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
Hanno Pevkur
Estonian Minister of Defense
Brad Smith
Vice Chair and President, Microsoft
Clint Watts
General Manager of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center