Waging information war

The aim of information warfare is to substitute precise and discriminate credible information – whether by the methods of deception or information attack – to a target decision maker in order that they position themselves, by their own decision, in a position of strategic disadvantage.

Information warfare is not so much about perception management as orientation management. Information is both the target and the weapon: the weapon effect is predictable error.

Information warfare is about destroying information, reducing information flows, reducing the reliability of information content, and denying access to services.

Information warfare is the offensive and defensive use of information and information systems to deny, exploit, corrupt, or destroy, an adversary's information, information-based processes, information systems, and computer-based networks while protecting one's own. Such actions are designed to achieve advantages over military or business adversaries.

Information warfare is defined as "actions taken to achieve relatively greater understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, and centers of gravity of an adversary's military, political, social, and economic infrastructure in order to deny, exploit, influence, corrupt, or destroy those adversary information-based activities thorough command and control warfare and information attack."

Information warfare is waged against industries, political spheres of influence, global economic forces, or even against entire countries. It is the use of technology against technology; it is about secrets and the theft of secrets; it is about turning information against its owners; it is about denying an enemy the ability to use both his technology and his information (Winn Schwartau).