2. Professors
  3. PETRONE Alessandra
  4. Teaching

INFORMATION DISORDER AND GLOBAL SECURITY

Alessandra PETRONE INFORMATION DISORDER AND GLOBAL SECURITY

0222800022
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT & INNOVATION SYSTEMS
EQF7
DATA SCIENCE E GESTIONE DELL'INNOVAZIONE
2024/2025

OBBLIGATORIO
YEAR OF COURSE 1
YEAR OF DIDACTIC SYSTEM 2022
AUTUMN SEMESTER
CFUHOURSACTIVITY
1INFORMATION DISORDER AND GLOBAL SECURITY MOD 1
642LESSONS
2INFORMATION DISORDER AND GLOBAL SECURITY MOD 2
642LESSONS
VINCENZO LOIA1 T Curriculum
GIUSEPPE FENZA1 Curriculum
ALESSANDRA PETRONE2 Curriculum
ExamDate
LOIA09/12/2024 - 09:30
LOIA09/12/2024 - 09:30
LOIA08/01/2025 - 09:30
LOIA08/01/2025 - 09:30
Objectives
GENERAL OBJECTIVE
THE COURSE IS DIVIDED INTO TWO MODULES. THE FIRST MODULE EXAMINES THE THEORETICAL INTERPRETATION MODELS THAT CHARACTERIZE THE TOPIC OF RELATIONS BETWEEN STATES, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF A CONFLICTUAL NATURE. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS WILL BE INTRODUCED TO SOME OF THE MAJOR ISSUES RELATED TO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD, ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN EITHER STRENGTHENING OR THREATENING INTERNATIONAL ORDER. THERE WILL BE A FOCUS ON INFORMATION DISORDER, SPECIFICALLY ON THE USE OF FAKE NEWS TO DESTABILIZE BOTH THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL ORDER OF STATES. THE SECOND MODULE WILL COVER BASIC AND ADVANCED TOPICS FOR THE DESIGN OF SOFTWARE SYSTEMS BASED ON PRINCIPLES AND MODELS OF SITUATION AWARENESS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN COMPLEX DOMAINS SUCH AS CYBER CONFLICT AND INFORMATION DISORDER, WITH ATTENTION ALSO GIVEN TO THE CONCEPT OF RESILIENCE APPLIED TO DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURES.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
BY THE END OF THE COURSE, THE STUDENT WILL HAVE THE CONCEPTUAL, THEORETICAL, AND PRACTICAL TOOLS TO INTERPRET THE MAIN INTERNATIONAL DOCTRINES ON SECURITY AND TO IDENTIFY THE MAIN ISSUES TO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ARISING FROM THE USE OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES.
ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY THE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE TO DEVELOP THE MOST EFFECTIVE POLITICAL-STRATEGIC RESPONSES IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SYSTEMS THAT BEST APPLY MODELS AND METHODOLOGIES OF SITUATION AWARENESS, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO CYBER CONFLICT AND INFORMATION DISORDER.
INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT
STUDENTS WILL ACQUIRE THE ABILITY TO:
ANALYZE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND GLOBAL SECURITY THREATS.
EVALUATE STRATEGIES AGAINST CYBER CONFLICT AND INFORMATION DISORDER.
DEVISE SOLUTIONS FOR DIGITAL RESILIENCE.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
BY THE END OF THE COURSE, THE STUDENT WILL HAVE DEVELOPED THE ABILITY TO:
ARTICULATE ANALYSES ON INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AND DISINFORMATION.
COMMUNICATE STRATEGIES TO VARIOUS AUDIENCES.
EFFECTIVELY PRESENT THREATS AND SECURITY STRATEGIES.
LEARNING ABILITY
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
RESEARCH AND EVALUATE TECHNOLOGIES AND STUDIES ON SECURITY.
STAY UPDATED ON GEOPOLITICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES.
INDEPENDENTLY ASSIMILATE NEW CONCEPTS TO STRENGTHEN SECURITY.
Prerequisites
NONE
Contents
INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION DISORDER (16 HOURS)
– INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE,
– INTRODUCTION TO THE PRINCIPLES OF FIMI (FOREIGN INFORMATION MANIPULATION AND INTERFERENCE)
– CRITICAL THINKING AND ANALYSIS OF FAKE OR MISLEADING CONTENT
– CONTENT: BLOGGING, FAKE NEWS, AND PAGEVIEW
– AGENTS, BIAS, PROPAGANDA, AND VULNERABILITY
– ANALYSIS OF SOFTWARE AND ADD-ONS TO COMBAT ONLINE DISINFORMATION

OSINT & FACT CHECKING (12 HOURS)
– OSINT CYCLE AND OPEN DATA (CONCEPTS OF OPEN DATA AND OPEN ACCESS)
– USE OF OSINT TECHNIQUES FOR FACT-CHECKING
– ONLINE SERVICES TO COMBAT DISINFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION
– ADVERTISING AND ITS RELATION TO FAKE NEWS, RACISM, AND ONLINE RADICALIZATION
– FACT-CHECKING EXERCISES

SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS (12 HOURS)
– RECOMMENDATION ALGORITHMS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND FAKE NEWS
– NETWORK ANALYSIS
– RECOMMENDATION ALGORITHMS AND RADICALIZATION
– POLARIZATION, ECHO CHAMBERS, AND FILTER BUBBLES
– NETWORK ANALYSIS EXERCISES

TEXTUAL CONTENT ANALYSIS (12 HOURS)
– TEXT MINING
– GENERATIVE AI AND DISINFORMATION
– LANGUAGE MODELS (LM), LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS (LLM), AND FAKE NEWS
– TEXTUAL DEEPFAKE

MULTIMEDIA CONTENT ANALYSIS (12 HOURS)
– THE DECEPTION OF DEEPFAKE AND THEIR SPREAD ONLINE
– DEEPFAKE AND INTEGRITY CHECKING
– MULTIMODAL DEEPFAKE

FORMAL MODELS AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS OF CYBERSECURITY TO COUNTER DISINFORMATION ATTACKS (20 HOURS)
– DISARM FRAMEWORK (DISINFORMATION ANALYSIS AND RISK MANAGEMENT)
– ABCDE FRAMEWORK (ACTOR, BEHAVIOUR, CONTENT, DEGREE, EFFECT)
– THE 5 D MODEL
Teaching Methods
MODULE I: LECTURES, SEMINARS, EXERCISES (42 HOURS);
MODULE II: FRONTAL LESSONS (WITH THE HELP OF MULTIMEDIA MATERIAL) AND DISCUSSIONS RELATED TO THE DEFINITION OF THE PROPOSALS AND APPROACHES TO THE REALIZATION OF THE PROJECT WORK (42 HOURS).

ATTENDANCE TO LESSONS IS NOT MANDATORY BUT STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
Verification of learning
THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE COURSE OBJECTIVES IS CERTIFIED THROUGH PASSING AN EXAM GRADED IN THIRTIETHS, WHICH INCLUDES THE SUBMISSION OF A PROJECT AND AN ORAL TEST, EACH EVALUATED IN THIRTIETHS.

PROJECT: THE PROJECT, WHICH CAN BE CONDUCTED INDIVIDUALLY OR IN A GROUP, SERVES AS AN IN-DEPTH ACTIVITY CHOSEN FROM A SET OF ALTERNATIVES PROVIDED BY THE TEACHER DURING THE COURSE. THE PROJECT DETAILS WILL BE COMMUNICATED BY THE TEACHER DURING THE LESSONS. PROJECTS REQUIRE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE COURSE TOPICS AND THE ABILITY TO APPLY LEARNED TECHNIQUES TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGNS AND INCIDENTS. THE PROJECT MAY INVOLVE OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES, THE DEVELOPMENT OR USE OF APPROPRIATE SOFTWARE, AND/OR SPECIFIC STUDIES. THE GOAL IS TO ASSESS WHETHER THE STUDENT HAS ACQUIRED THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE. THE EVALUATION CONSIDERS THE TECHNICAL VALIDITY OF THE CHOICES MADE BY THE STUDENT(S). FOR GROUP PROJECTS, THE SUBMITTED DOCUMENTATION MUST HIGHLIGHT EACH MEMBER’S ROLE AND CONTRIBUTION.

ORAL TEST: TO ACCESS THE ORAL TEST, THE STUDENT MUST HAVE SUBMITTED THE PROJECT. THE ORAL TEST CONSISTS OF A 40-MINUTE INTERVIEW WITH QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ON THE THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL CONTENT OUTLINED IN THE COURSE SYLLABUS AND ON THE PROJECT EXECUTION. IT AIMS TO VERIFY THE STUDENTS' ACQUISITION OF THE TOPICS COVERED DURING THE LESSONS, AS WELL AS THEIR PRESENTATION AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS SKILLS.

THE MINIMUM SCORE OF 18/30 IS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO DEMONSTRATE SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTIES IN THE APPROPRIATE USE OF TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTS STUDIED AND IMPROPER USE OF TOOLS IN THE PROJECT. THE MAXIMUM SCORE OF 30/30 IS AWARDED TO THOSE WHO SHOW COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE AND OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY IN THE PROJECT.

THE FINAL GRADE, EXPRESSED IN THIRTIETHS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF HONORS, IS OBTAINED AS THE AVERAGE OF THE PROJECT AND ORAL TEST EVALUATIONS. HONORS ARE AWARDED TO CANDIDATES WHO DEMONSTRATE SIGNIFICANT MASTERY OF THEORETICAL AND OPERATIONAL CONTENT AND PRESENT THE TOPICS WITH EXCELLENT LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AND THE ABILITY TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY EVEN IN CONTEXTS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE PROPOSED BY THE TEACHER.
Texts
MODULO 1:
-PAUL D. WILLIAMS, MATT MCDONALD (EDS) SECURITY STUDIES AN INTRODUCTION, ROUTLEDGE, LONDON, 2018. (CAPP. 1-2-3-9-12-16-18-19-20-26-27-28-29-30).
-M. M. LOWENTHAL, "INTELLIGENCE: FROM SECRETS TO POLICY", SAGE, 2020.
MODULO 2:
- NOAH GIANSIRACUSA, HOW ALGORITHMS CREATE AND PREVENT FAKE NEWS, EXPLORING THE IMPACTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, DEEPFAKES, GPT-3, AND MORE, APRESS BERKELEY, CA, 2021.
- M. R. ENDSLEY, D. G. JONES, “DESIGNING FOR SITUATION AWARENESS”, CRC PRESS, SECOND EDITION, 2012
More Information
ADDITIONAL TEACHING MATERIAL WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE TEACHER.
Lessons Timetable

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