This essay will attempt the difficult task of defining the term "cyber warfare". The essay will explore the threats posed to international security from and non-state entities in cyberspace. The essay outlines some of the most prominent examples of cyber warfare from Industrial Espionage, Propaganda and censorship to the Stuxnet Worm, in order to illustrate the seriousness of the threat posed by some of the most sophisticated cyber-attacks. Also highlights that cyber warfare policy makers and researchers should take the treat from the cyber domain seriously, because the tools used to carry out cyber-attacks are available to all internet users.
'Cyber warfare' is a recent term: the Oxford English Dictionary gives its first use as 1994. "Actions by a nation-state to penetrate another nation's computers or networks for the purposes of causing damage or disruption". Cyber warfare attacks can disable official websites and networks, disrupt or disable essential services, steal or alter classified data, and cripple financial systems -- among many other possibilities.
The topic of cyber warfare has received widespread media attention only in past 10 years or so. The increasing discussion of cyber warfare would come as no surprise to anyone: cyberattacks on components of US defence cyber-infrastructure, and the probable strategic, military cyberattacks by Russia on Estonia, then on Georgia, and probable attacks by China, North Korea, and Iran on US defence and economic targets.
Cyberwar fare has several unusual features. Cyberwar could be additional domain in traditional warfare. Used as initial stage to reduce command and control facilities, harm national infrastructure, spread propaganda, reduce confidence in government.
There are many reasons why cyber warfare are the rise. At present a virtual policy vacuum: there are no informed, open, public or political discussions of what an ethical and wise policy for the use of such weapons would be.