It has been 20 years since the first security conference in Krems. At the time, impressed by the collapse of the Soviet Union, the attack on the World Trade Center, and the onset of cyber-attacks, it was argued that a new world order was emerging. Terms such as instability, volatility and discontinuity were then and are still used to describe uncertainty. “It cannot be said that the world has become more orderly,” said Walter Seböck, head of the Center for Infrastructure Security. “There are new threat images that need to be talked about.”
“A New World Disorder” – this was the motto of this year’s security conference at the University for Continuing Education Krems. In times of disorder, perspectives are needed. The pandemic and most recently the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine have made this clear to us. Hacker attacks, fake news and disinformation campaigns: the war in Ukraine is also an information war.
But what cyber threats have emerged in the past 20 years? “The world has become more connected. Attacking systems also means that infrastructure is paralyzed and thus large units can be damaged – not just individual households,” says Seböck. All areas of our lives are affected: the energy supply, the economy, the health system and the financial system. “Even autonomous systems devices like Alexa, which we all know in the household, can be manipulated.”
“Activities in cyberspace that go beyond the norm”
The military is aware of the danger. “Hybrid warfare has come to the fore in recent decades. I mention, for example, the sabotage actions against Nord Stream 2 and against the railway in Germany. Here you can see that the opponent is using resources that have a very broad spectrum. From diplomacy to military warfare,” said Rudolf Striedinger, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces. Austria is not directly affected, but it is noticed in cyberspace that activities are developing here that go beyond the norm. “It is therefore important that we are aware of this and take measures.” With the new budgetary framework for the army, there is a clear upward trend.
When it comes to blackouts, you don’t want to paint the devil on the wall, but it’s good to have an awareness that everyone can prepare personally – “so that the damage, if it does occur, is not too great”.
Defenseless?
So are you really at the mercy of hacker attacks? “The more electronic assistance systems you have with you, the more open you are to hacker attacks. So-called wearables such as fitness trackers, autonomous devices such as Alexa or modern car systems also entail risks. Here you have to ensure that the systems are protected as much as possible,” explains Seböck.
Hacker attack, blackout, disinformation: in order to be able to respond to all these threats and find sustainable solutions, it is important, according to Seböck, to continuously analyze and evaluate the situation.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
