ABSTRACT
In combating a perceived threat, intelligence is the collection and analysis of information about information. The danger of influencing operations can come in two forms: physical intrusion and content intrusion. Intelligence agencies must be aware of both since, to be effective, they must complement each other to influence operations. The Internet has enabled countries to weaponize influence operations by making propaganda easier to manufacture and quicker to disseminate than any guided missile or espionage act. When fears and anxieties are assessed appropriately, they can be exploited as potential targets as they can be exploited in time if assessed appropriately. We can build thematic influence operations based on targets’ vulnerabilities and attitudes. Operation Desert Storm, the U.S. conflict with Iraq in 1990, is considered the first modern-era influence operation integrated fully into warfare based on the number of incidents that occurred. The most significant opportunity to influence an enemy’s information was our involvement in the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo, which gave us a unique opportunity. Influence operations will include both coordinated physical and content intrusions that will be coordinated in real-time. However, these malign influence schemes are still a threat to the intelligence communities, and they are under increasing pressure to counter the threat.
