The Cyber Security Infrastructure Amid Growing Threats

REPORTS - 11 day ago

The Power of Number

South Eye | Report - Exclusive

In a world in which the lines of politics and technology are intertwined, and in an era in which {number} has become stronger than bullets, we find ourselves facing a scene led by major countries, where these countries play the role of the hidden engineer who reshapes the international arena, not with treaties or traditional battles, but through invisible tools: Codes, Ciphers, and Media Algorithms.

Russia, which has long been known as a highly skilled loophole maker, has chosen to fight its conflicts on hidden fronts. The cyberattacks it launches are an attempt at digital hegemony, and are calculated acts of art that strike the nerves of competing countries. An example of this is the attack on the power grid in Ukraine, which was like a bullet in the dark, carrying a message: “We can paralyze you whenever we want.” As for the SolarWinds operation, it was not just a hack into American systems, but rather a long-term implantation process, in which the Russians planted their eyes inside the networks of their major rival.

As for China, its story is different, but no less exciting. It is a country that does not act impulsively, but rather with carefully calculated steps. Its cyber projects are attacks, economic and military strategies cleverly intertwined. China is not just looking to strike at its competitors; Rather, it seeks to swallow them. Cyber espionage operations, such as the APT41 campaign, targeting critical technology industries, are part of a long plan to secure China's rise as a dominant global power. For China, every hack is a new piece in a bigger picture, demonstrating an exceptional vision of building a digital empire that will lead the world.

When we get to Iran, we find a completely different picture. Iran, as a country, exploits technology for its own purposes, and even goes beyond that to create regional chaos par excellence. Iranian attacks may seem directed at its traditional enemies, but in reality they sometimes carry the character of symbolic revenge. Targeting Saudi oil facilities, for example, seemed like just an attack on infrastructure, but the message was loud: "We are here" But Iran is not satisfied with cyberpower. She realizes that the media is the largest theater of conflict.

In this context, Iran uses the media as a strategic tool. Its horrifically widespread media channels are AI-powered propaganda arms. These techniques are used to generate carefully targeted content that blends fact and fiction. Iran attacks through fake news and builds entire narratives aimed at reshaping minds. Fake photos and videos, made with deepfake technologies, are cultural and psychological weapons used to direct public opinion, both inside and outside Iran.

On the other side of this scene, stand Iranian proxies such as the Houthis. These groups, in addition to their role as military tools, are part of a huge media machine. The Houthis, with their skill in exploiting social media, have succeeded in creating an image that serves their goals. This image, combined with artificial intelligence, is used to create false international sympathy or justify hostile actions. They are not waging their war with bullets only, but also with words and images, exploiting every available media loophole, using a multi-tasking electronic army that operates in every country in the Arab States as an organized network to promote their content. This fact amounts to repeated cyber attacks, revealed by local and international reports of operations targeting websites & other platforms, including this.

Amid this alliance, we must not forget North Korea, as an exceptional case in itself. A country completely isolated from the world, but capable of threatening the entire world order. N. Korean cyber attacks go beyond being merely acts of sabotage, to being part of a complex economic and military strategy. N. Korea steals money, time, future, and stability. Operation WannaCry, which infected hundreds of thousands of devices around the world, was a declaration that Pyongyang could reach anywhere.

What unites these countries is their deep understanding of the changing nature of global conflict. Wars are no longer fought only on the ground, but in digital and media spaces. These countries realize that crippling infrastructure, manipulating information, or destabilizing societies can be more effective than launching missiles or amassing armies.

But the most important question is: What is the impact of these activities on the international system? The answer is not simple. These attacks weaken trust between countries and increase the fragility of stable systems. When elections, banking systems, or energy grids become easy targets, the world loses some of its stability. Even more dangerous is the impact of media misinformation, which sows division and creates parallel worlds of false “facts.”

Today the world faces an unprecedented challenge. Addressing these activities requires responses that go beyond traditional solutions. Building more advanced cyber defenses and enhancing international cooperation are two important options and an urgent necessity. But what is more important is to understand the nature of this new conflict. This is not just a war between countries; It is a war over facts, minds, and future.

What is happening may be viewed by some as merely a display of technological power. But reality testifies that it is a conflict between two visions of the world: one that believes in communication and openness, and another that seeks domination and the imposition of ideologies. The biggest bet is on who will write the new rules for this changing world.