The Anatomy of Modern Hybrid Attacks
Hybrid warfare doesn't rely on traditional military force. Instead, it employs a complex web of tactics designed to create uncertainty and instability. Drone incidents represent just one strand in this web, operating alongside cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns and other forms of non-kinetic warfare.
These operations are deliberately designed to remain ambiguous. A drone flight over critical infrastructure might be meant to gather intelligence, test response protocols, or simply create public anxiety. The true purpose often remains unclear – and that's exactly the point.
"The nature of a hybrid attack is that there should be no smoking gun, nothing pointing directly back to who has initiated this," notes Lasse Due Jørgensen, Global Lead of Drone Detection and Counter-UAS systems at Terma.
The Critical Infrastructure Challenge
The modern security landscape brings new complexities to the protection of critical infrastructure. Traditional defense systems, built to counter conventional military threats, often fall short when faced with modern, more subtle forms of attack.
The vulnerability extends beyond physical assets. As Marrup points out, "An open democratic society with free news media is actually a perfect place to conduct hybrid warfare." Each drone incident sparks public and political reactions that can, unintentionally, extend the chaos – fulfilling exactly what the attackers set out to achieve.
Modern critical infrastructure faces a triple threat: physical vulnerability, cyber exposure and the potential for incidents to trigger broader societal disruption. This complexity demands new approaches to security.
Building Resilience
Faced with threats that are as varied as they are unpredictable, protection alone is not enough. The real strength lies in resilience - in ensuring that when disruptions occur, their impact is contained.
“One thing is to defeat the threat,” says Marrup. “Another is to mitigate the effect.” His focus is on what the military calls passive defense: preparing systems and societies to absorb shocks and recover quickly.
That means stocking spare parts for vital systems, designing networks that can withstand failures, and ensuring rapid repair capabilities. But it also means preparing people by building societal resilience through awareness, preparedness and communication that restores confidence rather than spreads uncertainty.
Future Preparedness
As the hybrid threat landscape evolves, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and autonomous drones are changing how attacks unfold - and how we must respond. The speed of technological progress makes it difficult to see what’s coming, so defense systems need to be flexible enough to adapt as new threats appear.
“If you look at what has happened over just the past five years, I don’t think any of us would have guessed where we are today,” says Jørgensen. His observation points to an uncomfortable truth: uncertainty has become a constant in modern security.
That uncertainty reaches further than technology. Hybrid warfare puts pressure on our defenses while testing the values that hold democratic societies together. Protecting critical infrastructure and public confidence takes more than advanced detection systems. It requires balance; staying alert without becoming alarmist, strengthening defenses without undermining trust, and preparing for threats without compromising freedom.
The silent drone over a power station might look like a minor security issue. In reality, it represents a much larger challenge: how to protect our infrastructure and, at the same time, preserve the democratic principles that make it worth protecting.