A new wave of global conflict threatens national security, as cyberattacks and cognitive warfare escalate without warning.

Story Highlights

• The ‘Invisible War’ intensifies in 2025, targeting critical infrastructure and public opinion.
• Cyberattacks, AI-driven disinformation, and cognitive warfare are primary tactics used by state and non-state actors.
• Major incidents have been reported in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with significant geopolitical implications.
• There is a growing recognition of the need for new security paradigms to address these unconventional threats.

Escalation of Non-Kinetic Warfare

In 2025, the nature of global conflict has drastically shifted, focusing on cyberattacks, cognitive warfare, and disinformation campaigns. These tactics are employed by both state and non-state actors to achieve strategic objectives without the need for open military confrontation. Recent incidents, particularly in Europe and Asia, highlight the increasing sophistication of these methods, which undermine traditional security frameworks and challenge detection and response mechanisms.

This ongoing conflict, dubbed the ‘Invisible War,’ exploits digital, informational, and psychological domains, impacting critical infrastructure and eroding public trust. By operating below the threshold of conventional warfare, these actions blur the lines between war and peace, necessitating a reevaluation of current security strategies.

Read @clarkdefense's full article in @BreakingDefense: https://t.co/DuxP5KteW5

— Hudson Institute (@HudsonInstitute) September 25, 2025

Key Players and Strategies

Prominent nation-states like Russia, China, and Iran are central to this conflict, leveraging hybrid tactics that include cyber intrusions and cognitive warfare. Intelligence agencies such as Russia’s FSB and China’s PLA Strategic Support Force play pivotal roles in orchestrating these campaigns. Their actions are often deniable and decentralized, making attribution challenging and complicating diplomatic responses.

Non-state actors, including private military groups and tech companies, also contribute to this landscape, either facilitating or combating these threats. The tech sector, in particular, faces pressure to address vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure and manage misinformation effectively.

Implications for the Future

The implications of this invisible conflict are profound, with short-term disruptions affecting critical infrastructure and long-term consequences redefining global security paradigms. The normalization of hybrid conflict poses risks of persistent instability and potential escalation. Economically, cyberattacks lead to significant losses, while socially, disinformation campaigns fuel polarization and undermine democratic processes.

To counter these threats, there is an urgent need for innovative security approaches that go beyond traditional military paradigms. In the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 report, Bushra AlBlooshi, Director of the Cybersecurity Governance Risk Management Department at Dubai Electronic Security Centre, emphasizes that cybersecurity now goes beyond just data confidentiality and availability, and must address human safety when systems are attacked.

Sources:

Policy-Wire: The Invisible War—How 2025 Redefined Conflict Without Guns or Glory
Guernica Magazine: The Invisible War
https://breakingdefense.com/2025/09/mobilizing-for-the-invisible-war/
Mobilizing for the “Invisible War” | Hudson Institute
Understanding complexity in cyberspace – Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 | World Economic Forum