Beware The Ghost Stories Of Cyber Space

Former Director of NSA and CIA, Michael Hayden, has a wonderful description of Cyber Space.  He divided in to “Pipes” and “Water.” The former constituted the hardware and software of cyber space.  What made it run.  The latter was the information in it and that which flowed through it.

The on-going 2024 American Presidential campaign is  - to say the least - a highly charged one.  And already Russia, China, and Iran have used their AI powered software “bots” to “pollute the water” with false and distorted information magnified from what appear to be multiple sources. And doing it with unprecedented speed and volume.

The era of the hopeful Bill Gates’ cyber space as the “global public square” is long gone now squalid and littered with lies and half-truths taken over by bot gangs of varying ideology and purpose.

For the young people of today - my graduate students, for instance - it is a frightening new experience. Justifiably concerned, their fears are exacerbated by this polluted water turning tainted information into “ghost stories” told around the Cyber information camp fire.

While most of my young student are not familiar with Latin or Roman law, I try to tell them the watch word of an Old Spy for any social media “ghost stories” -  Caveat Emptor – buyer beware.

A Spy Smells Roses

I am an old spy and DC hand.  Consequently, I have spent four decades sorting through stories, opinions, lies, and a combination of some and all.  I smell roses, I look for the funeral.  When I hear or see information from any source - I trust nothing. 

While that somewhat cynical approach reflects my life experience as an information consumer, I suggest strongly to my students they too need to filter information from so-called social media and “news sources.” Carefully. Very carefully.

In doing so I take my lessons and I ask them to think about Three Questions as an informed information consumer: Who is saying it? Why is it being said?  Why is it being said now? 

Who is saying it?: 

It is on this first point that we are particularly vulnerable as social media consumers.  Social media in America is unregulated in any true form beside some self-inflicted efforts among the larger players and occasional government forays into election interference. And the ability to mask who says something has been the hallmark of the internet since Day One.

Now, add to it, powerful software bots powered by Artificial intelligence with an ability to repeat the lie ad-nauseum, any time, any place.  A “truth” repeated is truth that becomes believed. 

From my day, a Russian Cold War propogandists dream.  Now the capability is on steroids. Moscow’s intelligence services are currently in the lead in this practice.  Little wonder.  But, other groups – on all sides of the political spectrum in cyber space also now have this capability and are clearly using it.

Bottom line: who is passing out this information?  What is the source?  Do you recognize it?  Who are they tied to?

Why Is It Being Said?

It is equally important to ask why something is being said.  How does someone want the information to be presented to effect the situation at hand. One effective methodology is to make the information deliberately provocative and shocking.  Part click bait, part/whole propaganda. Got your attention, though, and thus it enters the information “atmosphere.”

I tell my students they need to apply their skepticism as they would to on-line commercial advertising and social influencers hawking product. These sources clearly wish to bend the interpretation of “facts” toward their bias and have you buy the “product” in a fast moving market space.

Bottom Line: Why is it being said?

Why Is it Being Said Now?

Ninety percent of life is showing up. In order words, being there is crucial.  Getting there first gives you an edge on the story.  You can bend and twist it to your will.

But, the first statement out there may not be the best insight and thus can easily be distorted or biased.  How many times have stories been corrected due to additional facts coming after the initial action– thus being ignored or downplayed by the sheer force of “getting there first.”

Famous Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee used to talk about newspapers as the “first draft of history.”

Bottom line: He never talked about how the first draft almost always had to be cleaned up.

Caveat Emptor

So, as we travel through this year’s campaigns plied and piled with the “polluted waters” of social media and so-called “news,” I remind my students to keep their mental guard up at all times.

Written on the entrance to a building I used to work in was another useful piece of advice – “and ye shall know the truth,” it reads, “and the truth shall make you free.” 

Bottom Line: Who is saying it? Why is it being said?  And why is it being said now?

Image: Ideogram

Ronald A. Marks is a former CIA and Capitol Hill staffer and IT Executive.  A member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a Visiting Professor at George Mason University, the Schar School of Policy and Government where he teaches about cyber space and emerging technologies.

You Might Also Read:  

Hamlet’s IP & AI:


If you like this website and use the comprehensive 6,500-plus service supplier Directory, you can get unrestricted access, including the exclusive in-depth Directors Report series, by signing up for a Premium Subscription.

  • Individual £5 per month or £50 per year. Sign Up
  • Multi-User, Corporate & Library Accounts Available on Request

Cyber Security Intelligence: Captured Organised & Accessible


 

 

« The CrowdStrike Incident Means Companies Must Review Their Cloud Strategies
Progress In Deepfake Detection »

Infosecurity Europe
CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

ZenGRC

ZenGRC

ZenGRC (formerly Reciprocity) is a leader in the GRC SaaS landscape, offering robust and intuitive products designed to make compliance straightforward and efficient.

BackupVault

BackupVault

BackupVault is a leading provider of automatic cloud backup and critical data protection against ransomware, insider attacks and hackers for businesses and organisations worldwide.

DigitalStakeout

DigitalStakeout

DigitalStakeout enables cyber security professionals to reduce cyber risk to their organization with proactive security solutions, providing immediate improvement in security posture and ROI.

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North Infosec Testing (North IT)

North IT (North Infosec Testing) are an award-winning provider of web, software, and application penetration testing.

The PC Support Group

The PC Support Group

A partnership with The PC Support Group delivers improved productivity, reduced costs and protects your business through exceptional IT, telecoms and cybersecurity services.

General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT)

General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT)

General Dynamics IT delivers cyber security services to defend critical information and infrastructure.

Backup112

Backup112

Backup112 has been delivering professional cloud backup services since 2004.

DCIT

DCIT

DCIT is a specialist in providing comprehensive consulting and auditing services in the field of information technology, PROVYS development software and security system AuditSquare.

Dcoya

Dcoya

Dcoya's complete security awareness training program gives you out-of-the-box compliance with PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOX and ISO regulations.

V-Key

V-Key

V-Key is a global leader in software based digital security, providing solutions for mobile identity, authentication, authorization, and mobile payments for major banks.

InstaSafe Technologies

InstaSafe Technologies

InstaSafe®, a Software Defined Perimeter based (SDP) one-stop Secure Access Solution for On-Premise and Cloud Applications.

DOS

DOS

DOS is an Ecuadorian company with 3 decades of presence in the market and extensive experience in the planning, management and execution of IT Service Integration Projects.

QOMPLX

QOMPLX

QOMPLX integrate, contextualize, and analyze data from virtually any source to help you identify operational risk and inefficiencies throughout the enterprise.

InFyra

InFyra

InFyra is an IoT & Telecoms specialist consultancy, with extensive global and local experience in business and technology strategy, networks and solutions development.

Banshie

Banshie

Banshie is an independent cyber security company with a small team of recognized specialist that are among the best in their field.

AlertSec

AlertSec

AlertSec Ensure is a U.S. patented technology that allows you to educate, verify and enforce encryption compliance of third-party devices.

Pyxsoft PowerWAF

Pyxsoft PowerWAF

Pyxsoft PowerWAF responds to the problem of business cybersecurity. We protect our clients' websites and data against attacks and exploitation of all kinds of vulnerabilities.

Sprint Networks

Sprint Networks

Sprint Networks is a trusted compliance and risk program advisor which deliver cost-effective technology to reduce enterprise-wide risk.

Swiss Cyber Institute (SCI)

Swiss Cyber Institute (SCI)

The Swiss Cyber Institute is a registered cyber security education provider by the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation SERI.

Rhodian Group

Rhodian Group

Rhodian Group (formerly Adar) specialize in providing Technology, Cybersecurity, and Compliance services to the insurance industry.

Scribe Security

Scribe Security

Scribe security provides end-to-end software supply chain security solutions.