Tools of Social Media Warfare

Hundreds of social media applications have been launched over the last decade. Many are freely available on the Internet, other applications can be purchased and downloaded for smartphone use. The capabilities of social media applications are in a constant state of evolution and any point-in-time comparison is quickly outdated. Trends in social media applications have implications for both defenders and attackers.

There are several types of social media applications and websites. Among the most popular are blogs and blogging support applications; comment applications; content streaming applications; social networking and professional networking websites and applications; and social news. There are numerous social media applications and websites that focus on sharing, including sharing proprietary information, photos, videos, slides, bookmarks, product reviews, and genealogical information. Some applications are designed to serve a global audience but many serve regions, cities, and even smaller communities. The mix is constantly changing and evolving.

Hundreds of specific and branded social media applications have been launched over the last decade. Each is designed to serve one or more of the functions mentioned previously. A sampling of the various social media applications is presented in Tables 1.5 and 1.6.

The sheer number of social media applications creates significant challenges for defenders and defensive strategists and tacticians. The large number of social media applications makes it very difficult to monitor the activity of potential attackers in applications and the content and/or messages created by them using applications. This often puts defenders in a reactive mode and requires that defending troops quickly learn new applications and understand how to monitor and analyze attackers’ use of applications. Defenders need to quickly develop countermeasures and tactics to monitor the use of a social media application and if chosen, to minimize its value to attackers or neutralize the impact of the application altogether.

The large number of social media applications creates significant challenges for attackers as well. Although the number of applications provides many opportunities for their use in a conflict situation, it also increases the complexity of using social media applications in general. This often requires that attackers be in a constant state of learning and training; and it requires that attacking troops learn new applications quickly and understand how to maximize their effectiveness. The

Table 1.5 Social Media Applications (A-L)

attacker must quickly organize a cadre of troops with skills in a specific application. Without proper training, attacking troops may compromise information or reveal the location of attacking forces, making a counteroffensive easier to launch against them.