Cyberwar: ISIS Vs West

By now it seems obvious that ISIS cannot be defeated using conventional military means. As Foreign Affairs writes, “The group is strong not only on the battlefield but also in cyberspace, where it uses sophisticated techniques to communicate with sympathizers, spread propaganda, and recruit new members all around the world.” As ISIS’ territory is shrinking, the war online can be won too.

Foreign Affairs (paywall) pinpoints weaknesses in ISIS’ cyber tactics, such as the use of Twitter hashtags, or the way of transferring followers from one account to another after it has been shut down. The article also highlights some of the failures and successes in the fight against the group’s online propaganda, in particular looking at the work of NGOs, such as the Counter Extremism Project or the Families Against Terrorism and Extremism organization.

Based on this, Foreign Affairs provides recommendations on how the West could defeat the group in cyberspace, calling for more cooperation and the creation of specialized “cyber cells” to carry out surveillance and counter messaging.

“Adopting a new cyberstrategy along these lines would enable the United States and its European allies not only to create viable, proactive alternatives to ISIS’ messages but also to reach their desired audiences—potential recruits,” the article reads.

The main point seems to be straightforward: more flexibility and more out-of-the box thinking are needed. The question remains, if it's so simple, why has it not been done yet?