The US, Russia, and China Cybersecurity Conflict Essay

Introduction

Cybersecurity is an important aspect of the National Security of every country, no matter its size, wealth, or political orientation. A faulty cybersecurity system can lead to such negative effects as disturbances in the work of critical infrastructure providers, such as food supply and medical provision. Cyber-attacks can also target and disrupt educational institutions, banks, and insurers. Certain measures can be taken to prevent these consequences, and these specifications consider the government and civilian citizens. The major tech companies can influence the nation’s cybersecurity by expanding zero-trust programs, integrating cybersecurity into systems, and providing education and training in internal security awareness.

The Current Cybersecurity Crisis

The current situation in the space of cybersecurity provides a significant example of how complicated this area of National Security and its influence on foreign politics can be. According to China’s National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team/Coordination Center (CNCNERT), since late February, cybersecurity breaches have been detected among Chinese Internet users.¹ These breaches were undertaken mainly by people with US Internet addresses in order to target Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. During the investigation carried out by the Chinese cybersecurity agency, it was found that the attackers were mostly from the United States. Ten of the attackers were identified as being from the state of New York. In addition, the agency detected Internet addresses from Germany and the Netherlands. Eighty-seven of the performed attacks targeted Russian infrastructures.² Still, more attention and investigations are required to examine the conditions under which attacks are organized.

Cyber-Attacks Examples

For the sake of National Security, the sources of cyber-attacks need to be traced since it essentially makes China the scapegoat in this situation. According to Fang Xingdong, the founder of the technology ChanaLabs, the usage of third-world countries’ devices is not unusual in hacking.³ China can easily become the victim of the attacks due to its great number of computers and ongoing Internet transactions. Another significant piece of information is that since February, cyber-attacks on Ukraine have increased greatly.⁴ These examples prove that cybersecurity is breached on all levels of the current military conflict.

The offered example can also be a case of an intent coming not from the standpoint of foreign politics but rather from a human civilian perspective. It is possible to say that these attacks were the product of an organization that is not affiliated with any government. Many believe that experts’ participation in the field should not be ignored. Examples of such organizations are Anonymous and Ghost Squad Hackers, who proclaim themselves as hacktivists (using Internet hacking as a form of activism). It is unknown whether the attackers intentionally chose China as their scapegoat to mar its position or whether it was the candidate deemed the most convenient.

Conclusion

Cybersecurity in the current times is in a highly precarious position. The disturbances in cybersecurity lead to faulty work of important infrastructure providers, such as food and medicine, and influence the social disposition of a country. Several nations have been heavily involved in the cyber crisis, including cyber-attacks using devices in third-world countries, such as China and Russia. This, inevitably, makes most international figures, used in this way a scapegoat for these actions. It remains unclear if these threats come from the government or are rooted in a civilian-run activist organization.

Reference

Han, Z., & Siqi, C. (2022). US-address attackers scapegoat Chinese computers to attack Russia, Ukraine: cybersecurity center. Global Times.

Footnotes

1. Han & Siqi, 2022.
2. Han & Siqi, 2022.
3. Han & Siqi, 2022.
4. Han & Siqi, 2022.