This article dives into the idea of social cybersecurity, which is all about using technology to influence people and society, rather than just protecting computer systems. It’s becoming super important for national security because it affects how wars are fought, both in traditional and unconventional ways. Social cybersecurity involves using tech to “hack” humans and societies, not just computers. This is crucial for future warfare strategies. 

Information warfare is now a major way to fight, with countries and groups using tech to spread their ideas and mess with others. The goal is to weaken trust in national institutions and values, potentially winning conflicts before they even start. Russia is really good at this, using sophisticated methods to create divisions within societies. They use old Soviet propaganda techniques but with modern tech, allowing them to influence people globally without being physically present.

Two big changes have made this possible: the spread of information through social media and the fact that you don’t need to be physically close to influence people anymore. Social media has made it easy for anyone to spread information, making societies more vulnerable to manipulation. The article introduces the BEND model, which includes tactics like misdirection, hashtag latching, and community building. These tactics are used to manipulate information and social networks.

Bots are used to automate social media tasks and spread information quickly. They can make certain ideas or accounts seem more popular than they really are. The article stresses that military leaders need to understand social cybersecurity to protect against internal and external threats. It calls for a mix of different approaches, flexible policies, and education to fight against this new type of information warfare and keep national security strong.