ilal Akhter Lashari: Cyber Deterrence

The internet has transformed our lives. We rely more on the internet than any other
invention. It has transformed the whole world with a network of three Ws (World Wide
Web). Any modern society has computer systems linked to the internet, which controls and
regulates transportation, communication, banking, power stations, air-traffic control
systems, military systems and economic systems. There is no doubt that vast benefits have
been reaped from the development of the internet. But the downside is quite apparent.
Consequently, the spread of internet technology has exposed the user to digital or cyber
attacks.
Cyber attacks are not only carried out by individuals or group of hackers independently, but
reportedly many states have cyber armies or groups of cyber security experts to counter or
perform cyber attacks on another state. Such an action by any state falls into the category of
cyber warfare. In his book Cyber War U.S government security expert Richard A. Clarke defined
cyber warfare as actions by a nation-state to penetrate another nations computers or
networks for the purposes of causing damage or disruption. Also, it can be regarded as an
umbrella term which includes cyber attacks, cyber espionage and sabotage. Moreover, William J.
Lynn, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense stated that as a doctrinal matter, the Pentagon has

formally recognized cyberspace as a new domain in warfare . . . [which] has become just as
critical to military operations as land, sea, air, and space. High dependency of military,
economic and civilian infrastructure on the internet has left the world vulnerable to fully-fledged
Cyber Warfare. That is why many cyber security and command centers have been set up
namely, U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), European Unions European Network and
Information Security Agency (ENISA), NATOs Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of
Excellence (CCDCOE) and United Kingdoms cyber-security & operations centre based in
Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ).
Apart from that, global computer security software company McAfee stated in their report that,
around 120 countries are in the phase of developing ways to use internet as a weapon. The
method of attack include espionage & national security breaches, sabotage and denial-of-service
attack. But the worst part is that the identity of attacker mostly remains anonymous.
There have been numerous cases in which a nation-state has allegedly performed cyber attacks
on another state. On 27 April 2007, a series of cyber attacks were carried out on Estonia which
resulted in disruption of government, news, financial and broadcaster servers all over the country
amidst ongoing tussle with the Kremlin over the repositioning of Soviet-era grave markers.
Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet publicly accused Russia of conducting these attacks.
Similar attacks took place a year later on Georgia and Azerbaijan during the 2008 South Ossetia

war disabling the websites of Georgian and Azerbaijani organization. However, the Kremlin has
not officially claimed the responsibility of such attacks. Reportedly, another major-scale attack
was conducted by the US and Israel on Iran. The cyber-worm named Stuxnet had razed over
1000 nuclear centrifuges at the Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz. The damage potential of
Stuxnet was massive as it has set Tehrans atomic program back by at least 2 years while German
security expert Ralph Langerregarded Stuxnet as a military-grade cyber-missile.
Recently, South Korea came under a cyber attack which paralyzed the countrys computer
networks running three major banks and two largest broadcasters. Many experts and analysts
blame the North, but the South Korean Communications Commission declared that disruption
originated from an internet provider address in China. However, South Korean officials still lack
substantial proof to hold anyone responsible for these attacks because any skilled hacker can
easily mask his identity and location. Investigation of cyber attacks on Estonia in 2007 showed
that the computers used in those attacks belonged to innocent Americans, which were hijacked.
Other examples highlight the nature and importance of cyber warfare. Moreover, the challenges
faced by the world community to contain the rising threat of cyber attacks are enormous because
we can count and track the nuclear missiles but it is impossible to track or count the cyber
weapons. Apart from that, public internet is not safe either. Imagine a cyber attack on a society
whose infrastructure is completely linked to the internet. Recently, NATOs CCDCOE released

the Tallinn Manual on the International Law applicable to Cyber Warfare which allows a country
to defend itself and retaliate against cyber warfare but it is just a mere expression of opinions of
experts. Global powers must devise a method of cyber deterrence before it is too late the clock
is ticking.
And of course there is the Edward Snowden saga: it seems that we are all under attack

The author is a researcher at The Pakistan Institute of International Affairs and a student of the
Department of International Relations, University of Karachi.

References:

http://www.npr.org/2013/03/12/174135800/cyber-attacks-terrorism-top-u-s-security-threat-report
http://www.economist.com/node/16478792
http://www.economist.com/node/16481504?story_id=16481504&source=features_box1
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/03/20/f-cyber-attacks-international-law.html?cmp=rss
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