CYBER AND TECHNOLOGICAL SECURITY IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: IMPACT OF CYBERATTACKS, DATA PRIVACY, AND MISINFORMATION ON NATIONAL AND GLOBAL STABILITY

Abstract

The rapid evolution of cyberspace and digital technologies has transformed the landscape of international relations, redefining the concepts of security, sovereignty, and social stability. This paper explores the multifaceted impact of cyber and technological security challenges, such as cyberattacks, data privacy concerns, and digital misinformation, at individual, national, and global levels. It examines how cyberattacks threaten national security by targeting critical infrastructure, influencing elections, and increasing the risk of cyber warfare, with geopolitical consequences that extend beyond borders. At the societal level, digital misinformation campaigns erode public trust, polarize communities, and distort democratic processes, while data privacy concerns raise pressing questions about surveillance and individual rights. The study also investigates the intersection of these cyber threats with global power dynamics, highlighting how states leverage cyber capabilities to gain strategic advantages, manipulate information, and challenge traditional notions of sovereignty. By analysing real-world cases and recent cyber conflicts, this paper underscores the urgent need for inclusive global cooperation, enhanced cybersecurity frameworks, and the establishment of international norms to mitigate the risks posed by technological vulnerabilities. Ultimately, it argues that cyber and technological security has become a central component of modern international relations, with far-reaching implications for peace, security, and global governance in the digital era. This research is part of my Ph.D. dissertation and contributes to the broader thesis titled: Emerging Technologies and International Relations: Understanding the Future Threat Potential of Great Power Competition in the Scramble for Skies.