Crisis in Afghanistan: The Cybersecurity Perspective
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Overview: What is Happening in Afghanistan?
For the past several weeks, the ongoing humanitarian and political crisis in Afghanistan has been a focal point of discussion among international political leaders, policymakers, and media outlets. On August 15th, 2021, Taliban fighters took control of the Afghan capital of Kabul and occupied the presidential palace just hours after President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. This move prompted the evacuation of over 100,000 Afghan people from Kabul’s airport. The last of the US troops in the country departed on Tuesday, August 31st, a historic moment that was tainted by the attacks at the airport just days earlier, which killed approximately 60 Afghan citizens and 13 US soldiers.
As the world mourns those who were lost in the violence and seeks to find homes for those who were displaced, the international community must now turn to the outlook for the future. There are certainly many aspects of the Afghanistan crisis to consider – the humanitarian, political, regional, economic, etc. However, cybersecurity remains one of the less frequently discussed themes relating to the state of affairs in Afghanistan. The Taliban’s rise to power has major implications for information security and data privacy. What types of data can the militants now access? How can the Afghan people protect their personal information? Can the Taliban utilize US military technology and other sensitive material left behind in the country? These are just some of the few unanswered questions about cybersecurity in Afghanistan.
Data Privacy Concerns
The Taliban’s control of the Afghan capital raises several concerns over data privacy, specifically in regards to what types of information the group can now access and control. Given their occupation of the presidential palace, these insurgents likely have access to national digital databases and biometric information. The Afghan government adopted these technologies after years of pressure to automate national identification and voting systems. However, personally identifiable information (PII) found within these tools, such as facial recognition software and fingerprint and iris scanners, is sensitive. When this information ends up in the wrong hands, it can be used to target and exploit groups of people.
As a result, days after the Taliban invaded Kabul, Afghans rushed to delete their digital histories and biometric data due to the threat of being targeted by the militants. Routine information stored in social media profiles, text messages, and photo albums were all deleted from mobile phones, tablets, and computers. Recently, the international organization Human Rights First published guidance on how victims can evade the misuse of biometric systems in Afghanistan. Additionally, there is a specific threat of militants using digital databases to locate government officials, security officials, and activists, especially given the Taliban’s history of using government-stored data to identify targets. In 2016, prior to kidnapping 200 bus passengers in Kunduz, Afghanistan, Taliban insurgents utilized a government biometric system to ensure no security force members were onboard the bus.
US National Security Concerns
Though most of the classified information stored in US embassy computers is probably out of the Taliban’s reach, accessible sensitive material still remains in the country. Some of this data was shared with the Afghan government and other local entities, and can therefore be retrieved by Taliban militants through Afghan government databases. Additional crucial information was simply been left behind inside US embassies during the rush to evacuate the country.
On the other hand, President Biden’s withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan was faster than expected. As a result, some military equipment was abandoned for anybody to find. For example, following the Taliban’s seizure of the city of Kunduz in early August, militants also discovered US military vehicles left behind at Kunduz Airport. The equipment, which was worth billions of dollars, included Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, drones, and Humvees.
While any of this data alone is not necessarily cause for significant panic, US intelligence officials are mainly worried about the potential for militants to piece together this information with other data, creating a result that is a true threat to national security. For example, what if the Taliban sells this data to a US adversary like Russia? That could have real consequences from a US intelligence perspective.
Ending on a More Positive Note
“The crisis in Afghanistan has also demonstrated how technology can be used for widespread humanitarian aid.”
On a slightly more uplifting note, the crisis in Afghanistan has also demonstrated how technology can be used for widespread humanitarian aid. Over the past few weeks, human rights organizations, medical professionals, and foreign governments have all taken advantage of digital tools in order to organize mass evacuations from the country, to coordinate relief efforts, and to locate save havens. Here are just a few recent examples of how technology has been used to help Afghan refugees:
Echelon Risk + Cyber, a cybersecurity company based in Pittsburgh, PA, used high-speed communications and social media to help a reported 50 Afghan residents and their families to find hiding spots and shelter.
The government of Singapore offered one of its military A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircrafts to help evacuate Afghan residents. The MRTT aircraft can transport up to 300 passengers and 111 tons of fuel, the highest capacity of all tanker aircrafts.
Countries that have received Afghan refugees used medical technologies to coordinate emergency COVID-19 vaccination sites. In the US, as of August 26, 2021, approximately 8,600 Afghans had arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, where they underwent health screenings.
Airbnb, the app-based vacation rental company, announced that it would provide temporary housing to 20,000 Afghan refugees worldwide. Those who are displaced can find properties listed on the Airbnb app or website to book extended stays.
The world still has many steps to take in order to help the people of Afghanistan and to restore stability to the country. Recent events have shown the true duality of technology: how it can benefit and how it can exploit. The situation in Afghanistan also demonstrates the nature of modern warfare, how the physical world is combined with the digital world. And this unprecedented form of conflict mandates that the global community ensure the safety of its citizens in both worlds.