Contemporary issues in information technology Assignment 2022

Contemporary issues in information
technology

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Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................... 1
Cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare and its History.................................................................1
Risks, threats and challenges to national security by cyberwarfare and cyberterrorism...................2
Development and involvement of new technologies in national security.....................................3
Plan, strategies and consideration required for improvement of national security..........................4
Introduction and implementation of cyber power.................................................................6
Conclusion................................................................................................................ 7
References................................................................................................................ 7

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Introduction
In this inter-connected world, the use of internet mediums has increased. Since it has reached
to hands of millions of people hence it has become critical for the nations to ensure that they
have an infrastructure which protects the internet connected mediums from any kinds of
attacks. It is also seen that in today’s time most of the work of the people is done through the
internet mediums hence it has become critical for the management to have an understanding
about the cyber-security. This is also because internet has become an important medium for
communication with each other and the same time there are much crucial information that are
shared over these mediums. With the increase in the cyber-attacks and increase in the cyber-
war between the nations. Any loss to the data can be a bigger loss for the company (Taylor,
Fritsch and Liederbach, 2014). For a country it might create challenges related to national
security. This report explains about cyberwarfare and cyberterrorism along with its history. It
also includes about the risks, challenges and threats to national security by cyberwarfare and
cyberterrorism. It also explains about the development and involvement of new technologies
in the national security along with the plans, strategies and considerations needed for the
improvement of the national security. In the last section of the report, introduction and
implementation of cyberpower has been provided along with cyber defence and security
resilience.
Cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare and its History
Political tensions all across the globe are enhancing and this enhancement in the political
tensions will have led to cyber-terrorism where the countries and other national institutions
are using internet mediums to conduct violent acts that result in the outcomes such as loss of
life or harm to individuals (Herzog, 2011). This is done for gaining political or ideological
gains by intimidation or threat. In Cyber-terrorism there is a deliberate attack on the internet
mediums where there is deliberate and large scale disruption of computer networks is
conducted especially of personal computers attached to the internet by the help of tools like
computer viruses, computer worms, phising and other malicious hardware and software
method and programing scripts.
In cyberterrorism the public interest started to build in the late 1990s and the term was coined
by C. Collin. With approaching 2000, the fear started to build about the millennium bug
however it was not the actual threat but it created a fear that such devastating attacks could be

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possible. In the year 2016, the Department of Justice for the first time charged Ardit Ferizi
with the act of cyberterrorism (Barnard-Wills and Ashenden, 2012).
On the other hand cyber-warfare is the utilisation of technology to attack a country causing
comparable harm to actual warfare. Cyberwarfare does not only apply, violence, protraction
or scale which is most widely attached with the term war. Till date no actions have been
described as war. Offensive cyber actions like those in Estonia in 2007, Georgia in 2008, Iran
in 2010 have took place in terms of international relations by it was just settled with
condemnation and denial by sides (Kenney, 2015).
Risks, threats and challenges to national security by cyberwarfare and cyberterrorism
National Security is critical in the time when the conflicts at the global levels are increasing.
Since modern day world is getting more fragmented hence there is increase in the tension
among the nations and the institutions in these nations are launching attacks on each other’s
institutions. This has impact on the strategic affairs of the country as the other country will
know about plans and cybersecurity concerns of the other nations (Caplan, 2013). Countries
have to make sure that they have a plan for managing the threats related to the cyber security.
Some of the risks posed by this on national security are:
 Attacks on institutions: Institutions of one nation is launching attacks on the others
such as on the intelligence of other nations. They conduct such as attacks to steal the
important information of the country, their military programs or policies that they are
planning to make. Such information can give one country an advantage over the
others in terms of military programs. This is a threat to the national-security since it
might lead to blackmailing other countries and provide information to other countries
that may lead to some other kinds of attacks (Tafoya, 2011). For example the
information about the military activities of the country will give the terrorists an
access about security loopholes. This might lead to some kind of terrorist attacks
which can lead to loss of life.
 Malfunctioning of network: It is seen that with the cyber-terrorism one might
blackmail others country. Huge attacks might lead to failing of any system. For
instance an attack on the railways computers might have impact on the operations of
the railways in that country. This is a problem for the nation or might create some
instant problems for the country (Liff, 2012).