Preface

Abstract

Modern military operations are conducted in a dynamic environment usually with unanticipated partners and irregular adversaries. In order to act successfully, they need technical support that gives modularity, flexibility and security in connecting heterogeneous systems of cooperating allies. The efficiency of such operations strongly relies on communications and information systems’ (CIS) ability to facilitate decision superiority, the state in which better-informed decisions are made and implemented faster than an adversary can react. A key challenge is to improve the situational awareness and reactivity, i.e., the capability to quickly benefit from new information that changes the operational situation. Usually, this depends on a complete reaction process, involving environmental data, data services, and decision makers, all of them interconnected. However, the broad use of information technology in modern command and control system makes its infrastructure the most valuable asset and the most vulnerable point of attack. Finding effective ways to protect and defend communications and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity and confidentiality challenges even the most advanced technology. (...)