When Cyber Conflict Targets Society

This article summarizes a Fortinet “Brass Tacks: Talking Cybersecurity” podcast with Prof. Annita Sciacovelli on how state-backed cyber operations increasingly target societies by disrupting critical infrastructure, blending digital actions with economic pressure and disinformation; it explores international legal frameworks for use of force, proportional non-kinetic responses (e.g., Albania 2022), the role of EU initiatives like NIS2, DORA, and the Cyber Resilience Act alongside ENISA, the need for faster risk reassessment, and the importance of cyber diplomacy and intelligence sharing to improve resilience and avoid escalation.