Cyber threats destabilizing factor

If among the great powers, at least for the moment, the hypothesis of a conventional war seems averted, the confrontation between opponents is shifted to alternative methodologies, certainly less bloody, but which, if framed in the current context, can have serious consequences. Beyond the rude and commercial struggles, which also represent moments of high tension, the issue of cyber attacks on foreign countries or supranational organizations is the real current emergency of confrontation between states. Attacks on healthcare facilities and research centers have multiplied with the recent pandemic, primarily to steal information on the progress of research for vaccines and drugs against Covid 19. The extent of these attacks on the United States could jeopardize the functioning of the American healthcare facilities, for which we understand the great concern with which these cases are followed. The US has accused mainly Chinese and Iranian hackers of these repeated attacks, however the dangers also come from Russian personnel, as has already happened in electoral competition cases. Angela Merkel's recent outburst against Moscow's cyber interference has shown how incorrect cyber behavior can damage positive attitudes in real countries that are the protagonists of incorrect practices. The problem was also noted by the Secretary of the Atlantic Alliance after the repeated cases of computer sabotage, which the Brussels institution had to suffer and against which it had to be protected. What emerges is that if there is no formal and official alliance against the United States, and in part also against its allies, the action of Moscow, Beijing and Tehran seems to be moving unequivocally in the context of the cyber war. The intent became clear especially on the occasion of elections: the action of hackers promoted actions to favor sovereign and anti-system parties in a functional way to particular interests, which tended to divide supranational alliances and facilitate the maneuvering space for movements that have the intention in their political program to contain the influence of supranational organizations. The case of repeated attempts to boycott parties in favor of greater European integration and, therefore, indirectly to the European Union itself, signals the plan to obtain a division of states to have a bilateral relationship and therefore with less contractual power, compared to agreements to be stipulated with Brussels, which is functional in Moscow, but not only. The control of computer networks thus assumes a fundamental value in a general framework where the direct use of weapons is now seen as the last viable option. The technological development of the 5G network becomes central to this reflection, on which China developed large investments to sell and spread its infrastructure to the rest of the world. But beyond the simple construction of equipment, a profound reflection must be made on the Chinese will to transform the Internet network towards new, more stringent and controllable parameters in open contrast with the standards of openness, freedom and pluralism, which have characterized the use of the network since its inception. The Chinese approach is conditioned by a vision that coincides with the political vision that Beijing has of individual freedoms and rights: in this respect, the new network that China has so far proposed does not provide the guarantees of current pluralism, compressed by excessive use. of control and censorship. If these conditions became the current standard, the issues of hacker intrusions would be overcome by a sort of technological legality given by the new setting of the navigation parameters. Certainly this could be tempting also for other governments, even in the western area, but bartering a greater internal control with the possibility of being subjected, from an IT point of view, to a single power must make a deep reflection on the purchase of technologies operate built to be ready to be set up in specific ways. Seen with this in mind and with the many precedents, the American pressure to develop its own equipment for the 5G network and the attempt to impose the refusal of Chinese equipment on its western allies is acceptable. But Europe should be able to play its own independent role, also from a purely constructive point of view, of 5G technology and above all be able to impose the will to maintain the current standards of freedom to use the world internet.