Cyber warfare

Department of Defense defines cyberspace as the ‘notional environment on which digitalized information is communicated over computer networks’. The term cyber warfare originates from the military discourse and is frequently identified with information warfare.

Cyber warfare is, according to most of its characteristics and principles, different from conventional, kinetic warfare. One of the basic differences lies in the nature of their environments.

Kinetic warfare takes place in a physical world and is governed the laws of physics. Cyber warfare takes place in an artificial world that could hardly be predicted and is susceptible to quick changes.

Some states have sections of their militaries dedicated to cyber warfare capabilities. China’s military includes information warfare units; and North Korea’s Unit 121 focuses on cyber warfare.

The United Nations is one of the nations that have been developing cyber warfare capabilities. The US Strategic Command is the part of the Department of Defense that monitors attacks on DOD systems.
Cyber warfare