Cyber power can be defined as the ability to influence an outcome by means of the use of internet platform. Cyber power is a measure to what extent groups or individuals can acquire power through the use of information technology (Kramer, 2009).
There have been several extraordinary changes in the cyber space as they offer both opportunities and threats to the users. However, this domain is still new though it has already attracted great attention and interest in the whole world. Since Second World War, America has proved to be a superpower in both, sea and air military weaponry though they cannot claim dominancy in cyber power. This paper presents a discursive opinion in regards to these evolving concepts in state national security.
Indeed, America’s vulnerabilities are open to the whole world because of information technology. America is one of the powerful nations with a greater access to resources. They are also likely to possess higher levels of vulnerabilities because of their complexities and greater levels of exposure to cyber threats and information security (Kramer, 2009). The cyber attacks can be classified as attacks for hardware (information infrastructure), attacks targeting software (denial of service attacks), and attacks targeting citizens (espionage).
It is the responsibility of the government as well as the state defense department to develop appropriate countermeasures to protect its cyberspace from the intrusions. Moreover, any loss from gaining or maintaining its supremacy dominance will water down the gains Americans have been fighting for decades.
The real change of cyber power has created a renewed thought on the military tactics to combat the threats posed by cyber criminals and terrorists. The various changes have empowered even small nations to act powerful and pose danger to human race. Through cyber domain, attackers can command a sizeable portion of audience. An example is North Korea which is now focused on nuclear testing. Nations have struggled to spend resources on developing stronger firewalls and disaster recovery sites for smooth business continuity programmes.
In any cyber warfare, the basics reasons involve causing fear to the citizens which attack the economic realms and hence destabilize a state. The cyber attacks also make a given nation more vulnerable to other military interventions to be explored to overthrow the government in place. Currently the cyberspace related issues have resulted in review of national security policy, so some nations have enacted legislation on how to handle the threats caused by cyber crimes.
Cyber crimes are on the rise because of quite a huge investment in technology. There are several advantages of cybercrimes. Few nations have implemented legislations in handling cybercrimes, giving the victims an ideal environment to perpetrate crimes. It is also a less expensive crime to implement since it requires few people to strategize in a bid to cause an attack. Additionally, it is cheaper to move electrons from around the world than moving ships during naval war or planes everywhere.
Most nations have not developed policies of handling cyber crimes. As a result, a criminal can live without any fears of being detected and arrested. Cyber power affects many issues currently ranging from the way commerce is conducted to new terrorism approaches, using the internet and information technology platform.
Cyberspace domain is a reality and it is posing great challenge. Nations that thought they have reached maximum enrichment in their sea, land and air military preparedness are back to drawing board, strategizing on the new emerging issues, evolving around gaining cyber power. It is the concern of both academic research disciplines, the government through state defense department to offer solution to its citizen on how to protect them from the vulnerability caused by cybercrimes.
Reference
Kramer, D.F. (2009). Cyber power and National Security. New York: Potomac.Inc.