CYBER ATTACKS|FUTURE

Are Cyber Attacks A Hybrid System Of War In The World?

Modern warfare is through cyber attacks

What is the effect of a cyber attack?

The war between Russia and Ukraine has brought an important problem to the fore.

What are cyber-attacks? What is their effect on an economy?

A cyber attack makes an attempt to disable computers, steal data, or use a breached computer system malware, phishing, ransomware, man-in-the-middle attack, or other methods.

Cyber attacks are very powerful. Although the army, airforce, and navy have physical warfare cyberattacks bring about mental torture.

Data is completely lost by a powerful infection like the human viral infection. It spreads to all the computers when such an attack happens.

All signals are lost and the maps of the country are finished so no one can see any directions.

This can lead to complete destruction. Supply chain systems can get distorted. Business can break down as stock markets begin to fall.

It will lead to ransom attacks too.

Cyber-attacks may bring about an electrical blackout, a breach of security secrets in business, military equipment as well as national security. Hospitals can have theft of valuable, sensitive data of medical records and supplies.

The phone lines and computer networks can be disrupted. Systems can be completely paralyzed in a country as data becomes unavailable.

Gartner has predicted that by 2025 cyberattackers will have the latest operational technology which will be able to harm and maybe kill human beings.

This can also cause shortages of food supplies due to disruptions. The whole economy can be disrupted depending on what has been attacked. It can be a minor attack or a severe attack where several systems are attacked.

I am sure that you will agree that this clearly shows that cyber attacks are a form of alternate warfare.

The World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report for 2022 stated that “Divergent government agendas around how to control cyber risks — and suspected or actual complicity in cyberattacks — will complicate the risk assessments and investment decisions businesses must make to prepare and respond to attacks”.

The report further stated that cyber security failures were among the greatest threats facing humanity within the next decade. If it affects nuclear power plants and banking operations it will be extremely dangerous for the country.

Some of the recent cyber attacks that have been deadly?

Some of the recent deadly cyber-attacks are the following:-

1. Ukraine: In February 2022. Just before the Russians invaded Ukraine, The Ukrainian Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Infrastructure, and Education were disrupted. Wiper malware was also used to penetrate the networks of one Ukrainian financial institution and two government contractors.
2. Just when the war between Russia and Ukraine started government and banking sites and Ukraine’s parliament’s websites were hit with continuous attacks, through attackers who could not be identified but had already infected hundreds of computers with destructive malware.
3. North Korea is rumored to have stolen millions of dollars from financial institutions and cryptocurrency firms and exchanges, illicit money that is an important source of funding for its nuclear and missile programs. They have stolen money equal to three cryptocurrency exchanges. “cyber-actors stole more than $50 million between 2020 and mid-2021 from at least three cryptocurrency exchanges in North America, Europe”.
4. Washington and Moscow are going through ransomware attacks against organizations and businesses in the US and other countries. Russian linked hacker has attacked McDonald's because of USA sanctions on Russia

These sophisticated cyber-attacks have become a new type of warfare that is aimed at disorganizing and ultimately destroying a country’s economy.

This has been called “hybrid warfare”. It’s a mixture of conventional and unconventional methods for getting political upmanship or some benefits.

The problem In hybrid warfare is that the hackers supporting the government deny responsibility but are the actual attackers so it is difficult to identify them. Cyber-attacks targeting state institutions and businesses are very sophisticated and the attacked business is unable to locate them.

To conclude :

To quote Brajendra Kumar who has written that ‘Major Cyberwar Is Possible In The Future’. In his words “ Countries have digital information and also attacks of missiles are controlled digitally. Control over the system will not only leak the information but may also change the game of war. It may also reveal the strategy and process of the defense.”

If there are continuous security failures and the systems keep on getting paralyzed this will definitely be a way of a complementary war system in the world.

We will have to be afraid not only of the army, navy, and air force to invade a country through the land, water, and air but also through cyber attacks.

Cyber-attacks may not become an alternate system of war but they will certainly have a great impact and become a Hybrid system of war. in the future.

©Dr. Preeti Singh, 2022.

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