Global Security and Intelligence Studies Volume 2, Issue 1, Fall 2016 | Page 35

Anonymous Versus ISIS: The Role of Non-state Actors in Self-defense
Whether we like it or not, non-state actors are now a part of a new and emerging
battle space. Where the state’s power was near absolute, cyberspace has enabled a means
for non-state actors to effect change in the physical world. Because of this, non-state
actors are increasingly becoming problematic to state actors unless their interests align.
Perhaps this is precisely the reason why states might wish to task non-state groups with
activities that allow a significant degree of deniability while furthering shared goals. So,
what if the state were to sponsor such activities? Between the 1970s and 1990s we saw
the concept of state-sponsored terrorism—could the same apply in a state-sponsored
cyber-sense? What we are seeing today might be a way in which Superpowers use
non-state actors to carry out operations against each other—deniability, clandestine
or covert operations—if they are not doing so already. In its targeting of ISIS’ cyber
presence, what would be the outcome if Anonymous were to become more robust and
aggressive, and have an element of “deniable protection” from a supporting state actor
in its cyber activities? Providing incentives for aligning interests is something worthy
of further examination but we must also consider the fallout such actions may bring as
well.
There is a likely but unknown degree of escalation in this battle space that is
about to emerge, and creative policies and strategies should be the carefully developed
to mitigate unexpected outcomes. To this we add that there must be “bold” and “novel”
approaches to addressing the threat that other non-state actors might make in these
cyber-conflicts. But there are some limitations, or tolerances, to this aggressive, proactive
imagination that must be considered, and these challenges to existing legal,
ethical, and moral practices within the security space must be equally considered now.
In the words of former British intelligence “Mandarin” Sir David Omand “providing for
public security is an exercise in risk management, not risk elimination” (Omand 2010,
250). We believe that the paradigm of state actor reliance for self-defense is one that is
already evolving into another form, and as such, the time for considering the role of
non-state actors in self-defense is upon us.
References
AFP. 2015. “French TV Channel Restarts Full Operations After ‘Unprecedented’ ISIS
Hack.” The Straits Times, April 10.
Akbar, Jay. 2015. “‘Death to France. Death to Charlie’: Pro-ISIS Hackers Launched
‘Unprecedented’ Wave of Cyber-Attacks on 19,000 French Websites.” MailOnline,
January 15.
Akyol, Mustafa. 2014. “The Truth About Turkey and Islamic State Oil.” Al Monitor,
September 22.
Anonymous. 2014. “How Anonymous Hackers Changed the World.” [Video file], May
29. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6o7lEKloJc (accessed March 29, 2015).
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