Publications
Military and Strategic Affairs, Volume 5, No. 1, May 2013

Cyberspace is a phenomenon whose fundamental nature is to utilize an electromagnetic field for human purposes by means of technology. This article argues that such technology is a type of weapon. A common dictionary definition of “weapon” is “any instrument used in combat” or “any means employed to get the better of another.” A “cyber weapon,” therefore, is one that strikes with the purpose of vanquishing another by attacking systems connected to cyberspace. Cyber weapons can be used as non-lethal weapons and have the ability to cause tremendous destruction and serious damage without destroying physical infrastructures or human life. The cyber-strategic environment includes the use of cyber weapons in order to penetrate the enemy’s systems for purposes of espionage, psychological warfare, deterrence, and damage to information technology systems or physical targets.