Interferences between cybersecurity and disinformation: perspectives on vulnerabilities in the Republic of Moldova and Azerbaijan [Articol]

Abstract

The article examines the relationship between cybersecurity and disinformation within the Republic of Moldova and Azerbaijan, focusing on the ways digital attacks and the manipulation of information work in concert within a hybrid framework of threats to national stability. This paper demonstrates that the vulnerabilities faced by the two countries are based on the consolidation of state institutions, external geopolitical pressures, media polarization, and low digital literacy.In each scenario, cyberattacks are either preceded or combined with disinformation campaigns intended to erode public trust and the legitimacy of state institutions. They call for an integrated strategic approach grounded in interinstitutional cooperation, the implementation of international standards, digital education, and international partnerships with the European Union and NATO. The core conclusion is that digital and societal security are interdependent, and that sustainable cyber resilience can only be gained by integrating the technical, educational, and institutional dimensions of modern defense.