Discussing Stuxnet: the role of malware as an elusive actant in international relations

Biaumet, Gilles;Bellanova, Rocco;Duez, Denis
(2013) REPI Workshop/Journées d’étude : Technologies & Techniques of Security in IR — Location: Recherche et Enseignement en Politique Internationale, Université Libre de Bruxelles (26.April.2013)

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Authors
  • Biaumet, GillesUSL-B
    Author
  • Bellanova, Roccoorcid-logoUSL-B
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  • Duez, Denisorcid-logoUSL-B
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Abstract
Viruses, worms and other forms of malware are at the centre of academic and policy-making debates on the current evolution of security, international relations and international law. Indeed, both their nature and action appear to re-load the most traditional debates on the agency of technologies and their relation to (international) law and politics. In this contribution we focus on one of the most famous and well-documented cases of these past years: the implementation, diffusion and execution of Stuxnet, a malware supposedly aiming at yielding Iranian nuclear-related programs throughout 2009-2010. Our goal is twofold: first, we aim at identifying the main lines of discussion triggered by Stuxnet, critically reviewing on four different accounts using two basic concepts of the sociology of translation: generalized symmetry and actant. Then, we attempt to analyze how these two concepts contribute to a better understanding of the operation by which Stuxnet contributes to the making and shifting of international politics and international law.
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Biaumet, G., Bellanova, R., & Duez, D. (2013). Discussing Stuxnet: the role of malware as an elusive actant in international relations. REPI Workshop/Journées d’étude : Technologies & Techniques of Security in IR, Recherche et Enseignement en Politique Internationale, Université Libre de Bruxelles. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/199122