Summary: In the previous part of this series, Marcus Ranum dissected the various subtypes of cyberwar into four specializations: cybercriminals, cyberspies, cyberterrorists, and cyberwarriors, so that we could begin to compare and contrast the practical problems faced by each specialty. I paid particular attention to explaining which are strategic processes that require long-term planning and execution. Briefly, they break down as follows:
- Cybercriminal: tactical profit
- Cyberspy: strategic surreptitious
- Cyberterrorist: tactical high-profile
- Cyberwarrior: strategic destructive
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Article deleted at author’s request.
(4) Next Up in this series
In the next part, we will look at the agenda mis-alignment between subtypes of cyberwar, to better understand how they might interact in a strategic context. That will lead us to be able to assess whether there are any synergies (or mis-alignments) in defensive strategies that can be used to counter these threats.
Parsing Cyberwar: the series
- The Battlefield
- The Logistical Train
- Synergies and Interference
- Patch #1 – Lessons from the Gauss malware
- The Best Defense is a Good Defense
(5) For More Information
(a) For a lengthy bibliography
See the FM Reference Page about Cyber-espionage and Cyber-war!
(b) Some articles about cyberwar:
- Wikipedia entry on Huawei
- Global participation in the F-35 Lightning program, Lockheed Martin website
- Microsoft and China Announce Government Security Program Agreement, February 2003
- Chinese Hackers Stole Plans For New US Joint Strike Fighter, April 2010 — I’ve heard from credible sources that the data leak occurred through a non-US partner
- Microsoft Opens Source Code to Russian Secret Service, July 2010
- SIPRNET: Where America Stores Secret Cablesm, November 2010
- Samsung Makes More Than 1/4 Of the Parts In An iPhone, August 2011
(c) Other articles by Marcus Ranum:
- Obama knows how to lead America by exploiting our fears, 5 June 2009 — About cyberwar
- Cyberwar: a Whole New Quagmire. Part 1: The Pentagon Cyberstrategy, 2 September 2011
- “Do as I say, not as I do” shall be the whole of the law, 11 September 2011
- Conflating Threats, 14 September 2011
- About Stuxnet, the next generation of warfare?, 29 September 2011 – Introducing Stuxnet and some of the issues surrounding practical malware-based warfare.
- Cyberwar: a Whole New Quagmire – When the Drones Come To Roost, 8 October 2011
- About Attribution (identifying your attacker), 21 October 2011
- You must Be >this< Tall To Play Cyberwar (has DoD grown enough yet?), 16 December 2011
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