HIDDEN RISKS OF DIGITAL WORLD

Angelina Bott
Institute of Radio and Information Systems (IRIS), Vienna, Austria;
iris@media-publisher.eu

DOI: 10.36724/2664-066X-2026-12-2-49-61

SYNCHROINFO JOURNAL. Volume 12, Number 2 (2026). P. 49-61.

Overview of report materials by Technology and Global Affairs Innovation Hub
of the Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po [11]

Abstract

As digital systems become ever more central to our lives, the risks that threaten them increasingly transcend sectors, institutions, and borders. Critical digital disruptions, whether driven by natural hazards, infrastructure failure, or systemic interdependencies, can spill over at a speed and scale that existing governance frameworks are not yet designed to manage. This work confronts a growing paradox. While digital infrastructure has brought extraordinary efficiency, connectivity, and resilience to everyday life, it has also created new forms of systemic vulnerability. They unfold quietly, across interdependent systems, until critical functions suddenly stop working, often when they are needed most. Developed through a co-creation process with international experts, this report makes visible the hidden dependencies and knock-on effects that standard risk assessments tend to overlook. Its aim is not prediction, but preparedness: to support a shared understanding of critical digital risks before disruption occurs. This work outlines risk scenarios on Earth, at sea, and in space, analysing the fragility of interconnected digital systems and offering a roadmap for preparedness.

Keywords:  critical digital infrastructure, digital risks, solar storm, space debris, extreme weather

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