CYBER WARFARE

Definition:

“Actions by a nation-state to penetrate another nation’s computer or networks for the purposes of causing damage or disruption”

-Richard A. Clarke

Morris Worm:

In November 1988, Robert Tappan Morris, son of the famous cryptographer Robert Morris Sr., Was a student at Cornell who wanted to experience how big internet was-that is how many devices are linked to it. And then, he wrote the program that would travel from computer to computer. That worked really well. His plan became the first of a fussy type of cyber attack called “Distributed Denial of Service”, in which every device connected to the internet are told to sends lots of signs to one particular address, overloading it with so much activity that either system shuts down or network links were jammed. The chairman of the Integrated Indiana University Cyber security Program called the Morris program as “Morris Worm”. Worm and virus are similar only different in operations. A virus requires an external command from a user or hacker to run the program, but worm hits the ground running all on its own.

Blaster Virus:  

It was August 14th, 2003 and the massive power blackout hits the United States of America. In almost 80 cities, 100 power plants shut down and in a matter of seconds 50 million people come off the grid phone lines and water systems fail and thousands of people are trapped in elevators and subways. It was the largest blackout in North American history causes 6 billion in restitution. So, what was the reason behind this phenomenon? Some government official did that? Or it was a natural disaster? Or it was an external power who did that? Yes, earlier on August 11th, 2003 there was someone, somewhere released one of the most damaging computer viruses ever written. And it was called “Blaster”. It was probably the biggest attack against the internet ever. Some virus hunters research on that virus and study on this implementation and effects. So, that was a horrible history of cyber attacks but nowadays it became an alarming state.

Traditional and Cyber Warfare:

According to the above historical background, we conclude that the attempt on someone’s property by using computers with the intention of creating destruction, death, and damage and fighting without traditional war weapons are cyber wars. By the advancement in technology, some gadgets become weapons and they are creating serious issues for any nation, government or state. We spent the last two decades worrying about cybercrime, how people are coming in and stealing information and financial resources. Hackers attack in such a fashion that even a victim doesn’t know he is a victim of a cyber attack. If we await at the past wars were fought with physical weapons like guns, swords, bombs, and so on. But nowadays bombs have transformed into a computer virus. In other words, we can suppose that every weapon is working on a data processor system. At most basic level cyber warfare can be utilized to support traditional warfare, for example, tampering with the mental process of air defenses via cyber means in order to facilitate the air attack.

The war between India and Pakistan:

In this era, if we talk about India and Pakistan, both have nuclear powers. Everybody knows Pakistan and India are traditional rivalries. Still, they are buying and making nuclear weapons for their defense. But presently there is no traditional warfare between these two states because they know if one of the attacks, both countries might not have a presence in this neighborhood. Obviously, in that respect is no war, merely there are code wars between Pakistan and India since the last two tens. Best hackers of the globe can be institute in Asia, particularly in Pakistan and India. Some hackers from India steal the intellectual property of Pakistan and some Pakistani hackers steal the intellectual property of India. For this function, both states have intelligence agencies for their defense, ISI (Pakistani Agency) and RAW (Indian Agency) both are responsible for the stealing other state data about what they are belonging to act against them and defend it. For exemplar, if India tries to steal some data from Pakistan by a cyber attack, then ISI has the ability to stop this onslaught by their professional hackers. In 1998, Pakistani hackers successfully penetrated India’s Atomic Research Centre. Pakistani groups have established several successful “hacktivist” campaigns throughout the recent 1990s and escalating through the 2000s to today. Hacktivism refers to cyberattacks fueled by ideology and usually involves taking over government or media website and posting defacing messages on them to embarrass the rival party or spread a message. In one attack Pakistan completely removed data from India’s CBI. Often, both states have attacked each other in reply to incoming attacks, providing a track record in how quickly cyber conflict can escalate between two nations.

U.S.A and C.I.A:

The United States of America is the home of cyber warfare, as we know he is the superpower and it receives the powerful intelligence agency in the world, the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). This agency has attacked different nations by utilizing computer systems. Iran and China are the victims of U.S cyberattacks. Cyber warfare presents a rising threat to physical systems and infrastructure that are related to the internet. With the progress of technology, every system is linked to the net and a system with internet can be affected by malicious hacking. Hacking from domestic and foreign enemies remains a perpetual menace to the United States of America. For this purpose, the U.S has developed significant cyber capabilities. The CIA is one of them, this agency is purely reliable on technology and probably ruling in the world of cyberwar. Cyber Intelligence is one of the primary functions of the CIA. Agreeing to a CIA assessment, which both FBI director and director of National Intelligence agreed with Russian government connected hackers breached the Democratic National Committee’s Networks and strategically leaked emails to WikiLeaks in an endeavor to help current President of U.S Donald Trump to win presidential elections by a slim border. Later on, the elections, Trump puts efforts to improve cybersecurity within 90 days of his inauguration, and so he signed an executive order to improve the government networks. In this mode, cyber warfare can affect even elections.

Cyber-Corruption:

Corruption and money laundering are being the primary subject in the current epoch. Nowadays even in removing money from one bank to another, there is cyber warfare because if somebody is the richest or well experienced by society, then he suffers a big opportunity to become a victim of cyber attack by hackers. Because hackers always keep an eye on every individual. By a pinch of time, they can transfer money from one explanation to another. Most websites demand debit or credit cards, and buying or selling online is harmful because there is a big chance of cyberattack. Hackers trace cards and steal lots of money by utilizing an ATM. Even a well-known person can steal money by hiring professional hackers. In this way, they transfer money from their land to another where they could keep. Nowadays, corruption, financial fraud, money laundering, and other economic matters are cyber-enabled. Illicitly gained money moves at once around the globe through cyberspace, facilitating corruption and fraud and contributing terrorism. That’s why intelligence agencies and other law enforcement authorities have the professional hackers who are able to go after the money transactions and hold back the cyber attacks by rivalry hackers.

Investment in Cyber Defense:

Defense of every country is very important and this job is carried out by their armed forces. Every nation is investing a larger sum of money for their denial. They are making destructive weapons to oppose the foe. The country with the most sophisticated weapons is the most powerful and dangerous country and the United States of America is one of them. By the path, as we discussed above Pakistan and India are also investing a bigger amount of money for their denial. In spite of military defense, every nation is also investing a vast amount of money in cyber defense. Because cyber defense is more significant than any other defense. Cyber defense refers to operations that are transmitted in the cyber domain in support of mission objectives. It is a computer network defense system that protects the vital base and information for organizations, government entities, and other confidential networks. It includes response to actions taken by the foe.

Future Cyber Warfare:

In the future, by the progression in technology, there will be a huge risk of cyber attacks, so we should put more money in cyber defense because every war will be fought by cyber attacks. In time to come there will be code wars between countries, governments, banks, organizations, and so forth Even every person uses computer systems in the wrong way for their benefits. Every weapon is working on a computer system, if they receive a strong cyber defense, then there is a low chance of cyber attack.