ABSTRACT
By the turn of the century a new kind of conflict named ‘cyberconflict’, describing conflict in computer-mediated environments (cyberspace), had emerged and become prevalent. This thesis seeks to introduce the key terms and themes of cyberconflict and argue that two different types of conflict occur: one between ethnic or religious groups fighting in cyberspace, as they do in real life; and another between social movements and their antagonistic institutions (hacktivism). This chapter unfolds the environment of cyberconflict by analysing the terms involved and engaging with the current debates in information warfare and security. More specifically, it includes analyses on hackers, information warfare, cyberterrorism, internet security analysis and cyberconflict’s sociopolitical implications.
