The world moved closer towards a confrontation last year that might occur due to the policies of the leading powers, the Czech military intelligence service (VZ) said in its annual report for 2018 released today.
The VZ pointed out the progress made in the preparations for a power conflict of a new type, in which traditional military means would be replaced by modern technologies.
Danger of cyber attacks is very real problem
It warns of the danger of cyber attacks and the dependence on suppliers of significant technologies, such as 5G networks.
The VZ report also writes that as a consequence of the weakening of the United States' dominance, the world was pushed closer towards a confrontation as a result of the leading powers' policies and pursuing of their interests.
China became the counterweight to the USA in the economy and Russia in the military sphere, in which new technological solutions to state-of-the art arms systems are applied.
According to the VZ, a major problem is that "many subjects" are more and more influenced not by a real idea of the state of the affairs but by their media images that are often manipulated and distorted.
The unleashing of a big conflict by traditional military means is prevented by the awareness of fatal losses on both sides of the conflict, the VZ adds.
We have a new information priorities now
However, an attack by non-miliary means, in a digital world, is possible. This is why it is necessary "to concentrate on not so precisely defined threats (and the risks ensuing from them) and on new information priorities," the VZ says. Therefore it pays attention to state-of-the-art strategic arms systems and cyber threat issues.
On the basis of the government's decision, exactly the VZ is in charge of cyber defence in the Czech Republic. This is also why a major part of its 2018 report focuses on this.
The VZ calls cyber defence an autonomous and specific area of cyber security, for which the Cyber and Information Security Office (NUKIB) is responsible. The reports mentions the necessity to be prepared for cyber attacks in a comprehensive way.
The Defence Ministry has been unsuccessfully trying for long and to push through an amendment to the law on the VZ that would include cyber security issues.
According to the VZ, the most dangerous phenomena in cyber crime are state and state-supported groups due to their sophisticated character and endurance. However, countries will be reserved when it comes to cyber attacks and use them only in the case of real conflicts, the VZ adds.
Warning: the technologies of the Chinese firms Huawei
It warns of an insufficiently secured critical information infrastructure, which can be perceived strongly in the case of 5G networks and data centres. It points out that only companies from non-NATO member states are able to provide integrated solutions to these networks.
Though the VZ did not mention it directly, it reminded the NUKIB warning against the technologies of the Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE. "With regard to economic security, we should not become dependent on one supplier of the above-mentioned components, especially if this supplier took control of the whole market with these technologies," the VZ said.
Compared to the past annual reports, the VZ has changed the concept of the latest one and it more focuses on selected problems it considers crucial for the global development in the future .
While the previous reports accentuated security development in the world, the activities of spies in the Czech Republic and crime in the military, the 2018 one primarily deals with the dangers related to cyberspace and the development of Russian and Chinese missile systems.
VZ chief Jan Beroun justified this approach, saying as the reports were issued in the second half of the following year, some information in them might become outdated. Last year, the VZ sent 1,330 pieces of information to Czech politicians and allies, the report says.
