Prospects for Cyber Deterrence
Abstract
In today's Information Age, a nation's dependence on cyberspace is becoming an increasingly important aspect of national security. As technology has improved, and more sectors of critical national infrastructure are interconnected in cyberspace, the level of risk to national security has increased dramatically. Neither security policies nor international laws have been able to keep up with the demands of the rapidly evolving cybersphere. Nations need to examine ways to influence their adversaries against attacking critical infrastructure via cyberspace. Deterrence concepts and policies need to evolve to a level that can be applied to various actors, from the state to the non-state level. The cost of entry to employ cyberspace capabilities is extremely low compared to what it takes to establish conventional or nuclear forces. If the Estonia and Georgia cyber attacks of 2007 and 2008 have taught us anything, it is that highly networked nations can be vulnerable to cyber attacks. If a significant investment is made in successful deterrence strategies, the outlook for adopting a fully networked society may not seem so threatening.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA494058
Entities
People
- Ryan J. Moore
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School