The Art of War (Part 1)

Hi !

In upcoming blog posts, we’ll be discussing two books that anyone working in cybersecurity should read.

I’m referring to:

  • Sun Tzu’s : The Art of War
  • Carl von Clausewitz’s : On War

Let’s start with the first one.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period (roughly 5th century BC). It is composed of 13 chapters, each devoted to one aspect of warfare and strategy. Here is a summary of what the book represents:

  • The Core Philosophy :
    The book’s central premise is that war is a matter of vital importance to the State and must be handled with extreme intelligence. However, Sun Tzu’s most famous ideal is that supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. He argues that physical combat should be the last resort, as it is costly, unpredictable, and destructive for both the victor and the vanquished.

  • Key Themes :
    Strategy over Force: Success comes from superior planning and outthinking the opponent, not just through brute strength. Deception: “All warfare is based on deception.” Sun Tzu teaches that a leader must hide their true intentions and capabilities to lead the enemy into making mistakes. Knowledge: The most famous quote, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles,” emphasizes the importance of intelligence and self-awareness. Adaptability: Like water that shapes itself to the ground, a great strategist must change their tactics according to the enemy’s movements and the environment.

  • Modern Influence :
    While originally written for generals on the battlefield, the book has transcended military use. Today, it is a foundational text in:

    • Business: For competitive strategy and market positioning.
    • Politics and Diplomacy: For negotiation and managing power dynamics.
    • Sports and Psychology: For mental preparation and understanding conflict.
    • Military: The Art of War remains one of the the most cited text in both military academies and cybersecurity conferences.

Let’s take a brief look at what the 13 chapters are about.

1. Laying Plans (The Assessment)
Before engaging, one must compare the two adversaries based on five fundamental factors: the Way (moral unity), weather, terrain, command (the general’s virtues), and discipline.
The Bottom Line: All warfare is based on deception. If you are capable, feign incapacity.

2. Waging War (The Conduct of War)
War is costly and exhausts the State’s resources. Sun Tzu emphasizes speed: a campaign that drags on rarely benefits the victor.
The Bottom Line: The goal is victory, not persistence. It is better to feed your troops on the enemy’s provisions.

3. Attack by Stratagem (Offensive Strategy)
Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. It is better to capture an army intact than to destroy it.
The Bottom Line: Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be in peril.

4. Tactical Dispositions
One makes oneself invincible through defense, but becomes victorious through attack. Victory must be secured before the battle even begins.
The Bottom Line: A good general first secures himself against defeat, then waits for the opportunity to defeat the enemy.

5. Energy (The Use of Force)
This chapter deals with the management of force and creativity. It distinguishes between direct forces (conventional) and indirect forces (surprise).
The Bottom Line: Strategic potential is like the energy of pent-up water which, once released, carries everything away in its path.

6. Weak Points and Strong
The art of imposing your will on the enemy. You must attack where the other is vulnerable (the void) and avoid where they are prepared (the full).
The Bottom Line: An army should be like water: it avoids heights and rushes toward hollows; it has no constant form.

7. Maneuvering (Direct Combat)
This chapter explores the difficulties of mass maneuver and communication (signals, drums). The challenge is to turn devious routes into straight lines and misfortunes into advantages.
The Bottom Line: Avoid the enemy when their spirit is high in the morning and attack when they are tired and thinking of return in the evening.

8. Variation in Tactics (Adaptation)
A general must know how to adapt to circumstances and not follow orders blindly if the situation on the ground changes.
The Bottom Line: There are roads which must not be followed and cities which must not be besieged.

9. The Army on the March
Sun Tzu provides practical advice on positioning troops according to the terrain (mountains, rivers, marshes) and observing the enemy’s signs.
The Bottom Line: If birds take flight, the enemy is in ambush. If dust rises in high columns, the chariots are coming.

10. Terrain
The study of terrain types (accessible, entangling, narrow, etc.) and how they influence strategy. Sun Tzu also covers the six errors of generals that lead to defeat.
The Bottom Line: Terrain is the soldier’s ally, but the management of victory belongs to the general.

11. The Nine Situations
This chapter delves into the psychological state of troops based on their location. On “death ground,” for example, soldiers fight desperately because they have no way out.
The Bottom Line: Place your troops in a position from which there is no escape, and they will survive.

12. The Attack by Fire
Description of the five ways to use fire (burning men, provisions, baggage, arsenals, or supply lines).
The Bottom Line: Fire is a powerful tool, but a sovereign must never start a war out of mere anger.

13. The Use of Spies (Intelligence)
Information is the key. Future events cannot be predicted by spirits; you need men who know the enemy’s situation.
The Bottom Line: There are five types of spies (local, internal, converted, doomed, and surviving). He who masters them is an enlightened ruler.

In the next post we will see how the principles of cybersecurity can be applied to the 13 chapters.

Cheers.

Security Strategy