Definition

Noun: * Information Warfare: The strategic use of information and information technology during a crisis or conflict to achieve specific objectives against a particular adversary or adversaries. This involves manipulating, denying, exploiting, or degrading information and information systems to gain a competitive advantage.

Usage

• Information warfare is a modern component of national security strategy.
• The military unit specializes in tactics of information warfare.
• Analysts study the impact of information warfare on public opinion.

Advanced Usage

• To engage in/wage information warfare: To actively conduct operations in this domain.
  • The state was accused of waging information warfare to influence the election.
• As a domain of warfare: Information warfare is often discussed alongside traditional domains like land, sea, air, and space.
  • Cybersecurity is a critical front in modern information warfare.

Variants and Related Words

• Cyberwarfare (n): A subset of information warfare focused specifically on attacking and defending computer networks and systems.
• Psychological Operations (PSYOP) (n): Activities intended to influence emotions, motives, and behavior, often considered a tool within information warfare.
• Electronic Warfare (n): Military action involving the use of electromagnetic energy to control the spectrum or attack an enemy, related to but distinct from information warfare.

Synonyms

• InfoWar
• Cyber conflict (in a specific context)
• Information operations

Related Phrases

• Disinformation campaign: A coordinated effort to spread false information, frequently a tactic used in information warfare.
• Perception management: The practice of influencing how events are perceived, a key goal of information warfare.

Noun

1. the use of information or information technology during a time of crisis or conflict to achieve or promote specific objectives over a specific adversary or adversaries
   • not everyone agrees that information warfare is limited to the realm of traditional warfare