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Cyber-Agressions

Author(s): Dumitru Dumbravã
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: National Institute for Intelligence Studies
Keywords: cyberspace; cyber agressions; cyber security; cyber intelligence

Summary/Abstract: Since the advent of Internet in the 1990s, not all users have acted in cyberspace for peaceful purposes. In fact the threat and impact of attacks in and through cyberspace have continously grown to the extent that cyberspace has emerged as a setting for war, with increasing potential to damage the national security of states. Because of this reason, the international community has to come up with a body of norms, or regulations that must be established in order to deter agression in cyberspace. As cyberspace matures, the international system faces a new challenge in confronting the use of force. Non-state actors continue to grow in importance, acquiring the skill and expertise necessary to wage asymmetric warfare using non-traditional weaponry that can create devastating real world consequences. These actors involved with various types of crimes also vary in their skill sets, interests and motivations. Some are identified as internal threats, while others are external – encompassing national as well as international players. All actors vary in age, education, gender, ethnicity, as well as their skills, professional status and social relationships. Since it is nearly impossible to identify the plethora of actors according to physical discriminating factors, elements of skills, motivation and social relationships within the community of hackers can successfully be used to differentiate and categorize their threat potential. The international legal system must adapt to this battleground and provide workable mechanisms to hold aggressive actors accountable for their actions. The very nature of cyberspace: its lack of territorial definability; its organisational capacities; and its decentralised structure plays an important role in cyberspace governance.

  • Issue Year: 2011
  • Issue No: 06
  • Page Range: 164-178
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Romanian