The U.S. Response to the 2016 Russian Election Meddling and the Evolving National Strategic Thought in Cyberspace (Part 1)

Abstract

Due to the heightened political sensitivity caused by the recently held U.S. midterm elections and the frenzied media concentration on the 2016 election meddling, hacking and leaks have been in the focus of public discussions ever since. In order to better comprehend the appraisal of the U.S. political leadership back in 2016 and early in 2017, this article contextualizes the events and the response measures in the wider cybersecurity position of the U.S. Tracking down the development of the U.S. political and military approach to cyber threats,3 we came to the conclusion that the U.S. is lacking a working cybersecurity policy largely because its perception of cyber threats is self-centred and still deeply rooted in the strategic thinking of nuclear or traditional military attacks. Even if the same strategic principles are valid in cyberspace, cyberattacks, single, systemic or part of a broader influence operation, they play out according to a set of completely different dynamics than kinetic attacks. The true strategic lesson of the recent election meddling is that Russia has been, and most probably will be, able to seize the momentum and masterfully exploit those inherent deficiencies. Consequently, cyberspace as a strategic environment necessitates the careful analysis of the strategic thinking of the potential adverse nation.