Cyber Warfare Creates Ghosts In Our Machines
Almost our entire modern way of life, from communication, social engagement, government, commerce to conflict, often relies on the Internet. Technological developments have completely changed social life by creating new cyber and technological inventions that even recently were considered science fiction and yet now are everyday use.
These changes stem from the growing importance of advanced technologies like AI, cyber, drones, cloud computing, data analytics and hypersonic missiles. These are fast becoming the foundation technologies for new mission areas and strategies and the threat of cyber warfare presents a multitude of threats towards any nation.
Cyberwarfare refers to cyber attacks executed by one country or state against another; however, it can also be an attack by hackers or terrorists aimed at furthering the mission of the individual nation. In most cases, the computers are not the final target, but the systems they control.
A well-planned attack could alter stock prices, knock out traffic light systems, knock out emergency services, weaken military responsiveness and disrupt the economy. Cyberwarfare can be launched instantly, leaving room for speculation and making it difficult to counter. The weapons of cyberwar are like those being used by cyber criminals. It can vary from the very sophisticated to the complete basic.
At the most basic level a cyber attack can be used to support traditional warfare methods. For example, tampering with the operation of air defences via cyber means a hacking attack that facilitates an air attack.
This time has also seen a dramatic growth of cyberspace which is now the modern threat environment has remade th globe as we see it and country borders in the electronic world don’t operate and cyber warfare is taking place. Adversaries of the United States and allies are using the cyberspace domain as a platform for warfare where rule of law is abstract and limitations are mostly self-imposed.
The military importance of cyber has been growing fast and there is still an active debate regarding how cyber warfare should be defined and no absolute definition is widely agreed, as can be seen in the recent events in Crimea and the operationalisation of the Stuxnet virus in Iran.
Hybrid warfare is the use of political, economic, technological, and informational tools that together make up the phenomenon of social infrastructure.
One particular element of this type of event, human political protest, is now known to be a very important component in what we are learning about hybrid warfare.This is supplemented by military means of a concealed character, including carrying out actions of informational conflict, combined arms tactics, cyber operations and the actions of Special Operations forces.
Cyber weapons are accessible to anyone with the requisite computer expertise; not just governments, but individuals too. Indeed, non-governmental individuals and bodies have already caused significant damage. For instance, 2017’s WannaCry virus, which targeted the UK National Health Service’s outdated Windows operating systems.
Even if cyberspace is still not the subject of any binding treaty, cyber-operations remain the preserve of the largest powers because of their complexity.
Now hacktivists use their knowledge and software tools to gain unauthorized access to computer systems they seek to manipulate or damage not for material gain or to cause widespread destruction, but to draw attention to their cause through well-publicised disruptions of select targets. Anonymous and other hacktivist groups are often portrayed in the media as cyber-terrorists, wreaking havoc by hacking websites, posting sensitive information about their victims, and threatening further attacks if their demands are not met. However, hacktivism is more than that. Actors are politically motivated to change the world, through the use of fundamentalism. Groups like Anonymous, however, have divided opinion with their methods.
Each new technology is quickly obsolete, posing the question of the ability of actors to remain ahead. According to a recent National Cyber Power Index Report published by Harvard University’s Belfer Center, China ranks second, after the US, in cyber power.The report has identified seven national objectives that countries pursue using cyber means including surveillance, foreign intelligence collection, and cyber defenses. “Countries with high levels of both intent and capability for a specific objective are among the highest-ranking countries in the NCPI...These countries both signal in strategies and previously attributed cyber-attacks that they intend to use cyber to achieve policy goals and have the capabilities to achieve them” says the Report.
Currently the United States, China, and Russia are sharply increasing their investment in technology to the hunt for mobile missiles.
- The United States is doing this to find missiles in North Korea, Iran and other places.
- China uses satellite and cyber analysis to track maritime targets like ships and aircraft. China also uses its cyber hacking as a focus on stealing intellectual property, trade secrets, and technological advancements in Artificial Intelligence to gain market advantages for its China based corporations, says the threat intelligence experts at IntSights.
- Russia’s emphasis is on disruption of NATO’s ability to project military power into Poland, the Baltics, and Ukraine.
Currently, cyberwarfare is an uncharted area, but by increasing security and collecting intelligence, countries can build new policies and strengthen their security.
Foreign Policy Research Inst: US National Defense University: Association of MBAs: Anadolu: Portswigger:
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