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Cybersecurity and Stability in the Gulf

January 6, 2014

The Gulf has become a flashpoint for cyber conflict. Cyberspace has become an arena for covert
struggle, with the United States, Israel and other nations on one side, and Iran and Russia on the other. Iran has far outpaced the GCC states in developing its cyber capabilities, both for monitoring internal dissent and deploying hackers to disrupt or attack foreign targets. Several such attacks over the past two years were likely either directed or permitted by Iranian state authorities. Even if Iran holds back from offensive actions as nuclear talks progress, the growth in Iranian capabilities remains a potential security threat for other Gulf states. The GCC countries have begun to develop their defensive capabilities, but they will need to expand their defenses and collaborate more effectively to deter future threats.

أصبحت منطقة الخليج نقطة انطلاق نزاع الفضاء الإلكتروني. أصبح الإنترنت ساحةً لصراع مبطّن بين الولايات المتحدة وإسرائيل ودول أخرى من جهة وإيران وروسيا من جهة أخرى. تخطت إيران دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي بأشواط من حيث تطوير قدرا الإنترنت أكان عبر رصد المنشقين الداخليين أو اللجوء إلى متسللي حواسيب لخرق أهداف أجنبية أو الاعتداء عليها. وعلى مرالسنيتن الماضيتين, حصل عدد من الاعتداءات المماثلة على الأغلب بقيادة سلطات الدولة الإيرانية أو بإذن منها. وحتى مع تردد إيران عن القيام بأعمال هجومية في ظل تقدم المفاوضات النووية، يبقى نمو قدراتها خطرًا أمنيًا محتملاً على دول الخليج التي بدأت بتطوير قدراتها الدفاعية إلا أنه سيتع عليها توسيع دفاعاتها والتعاون بشكل أكثر فعاليةً لردع مخاطر مستقبلية.

 

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Written By
James Andrew Lewis
Senior Vice President and Director, Strategic Technologies Program
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