ABU DHABI // A growing number of commercially available technologies are viewed as potential threats to defence, security and business, according to research by a global information company.
Tate Nurkin, managing director of consulting and thought leadership at IHS Jane’s Aerospace, Defence and Security, visited the UAE this week to meet defence groups.
“All of the organisations we speak to are focused to some degree in trying to understand what impact some of these new technologies might have on the security environment and military activities,” he said. This “can be viewed as a threat to countries and it’s all part of a competition that’s out there between organisations that are trying to get their heads around how to deal with a much broader threat spectrum”.
Mr Nurkin said his area of research focused on what is called disruptive innovation.
“The idea is that there are a growing number of commercially available and dual-use items, different types of technologies, that are becoming easier to access,” he said.
“They can be used in very creative ways to pose threats to national security communities, businesses and infrastructure.”
Some of these technologies include jamming or spoofing electronic signals, robotics and autonomous systems that are unmanned.
The research, compiled over 14 months, shows three dimensional (3D) printing as an area of concern.
“Individuals were able to create functional weapons with 3D printing, so it empowers more people to have an effect on the strategic environment,” Mr Nurkin said.
He also mentioned a growing threat to cyber security, not just at government level, but to the energy industry.
“Anything having to do with critical national infrastructure is becoming a bigger target for cyber espionage, disruption and theft,” he said.
“Some of the thinking now is there are more disruptive technologies that are going to become more available so how do you anticipate which ones will be used?” he said.
“The big question is how they’re going to be used and how to deal with it.”
cmalek@thenational.ae