The Ontology of Network Warfare: The Essence and Consequences

The constitution of a new space for the functioning of social reality due to the impact of information and communication technologies on all spheres of human activity contributed to the transformation of traditional military operations, which resulted in the spread of network wars. The networking and digitalization of society has led to a change in human existence. Cognitive, informational, social, and psychological aspects of network processes form a new picture of the world, creating conditions for changing people's mentality and behavior. Therefore, the identification of the ontological foundations of network warfare is of particular importance. The disclosure of its essence is a prerequisite for the development of measures to preserve the security of the statedevelopment. The transformation of the mechanism of datainformational impact on the consciousness and meaning of both an individual and large social groups has led to a change in the civic position of the individual, expanding the possibilities for manipulating public opinion. The formation of new network structures and the spread of cyberterrorism are modifying the world order. Network wars have become an integral phenomenon of the modern realityexistence. Their attribute, which determines the specifics of the conflict unfolding, is the destructive use of information. Information disseminated on the Internet forms social content. Thus, new conditions are being created for the aggravation of contradictions, including the world community in the zone of confrontation, manipulating the behavior of its representatives, creating opportunities for non-contact warfare.