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17. Addressing the Threat of Cyber Warfare

Preventing Conflict and Promoting Stability in Cyberspace​

Cyber warfare—the use of cyberattacks by state or non-state actors to disrupt, damage, or destroy critical infrastructure, military systems, or government functions of another state—represents a significant and evolving threat to international peace and security. Unlike traditional warfare, cyber warfare operates in a domain with unclear boundaries, challenges of attribution, and the potential for rapid, widespread escalation with potentially devastating consequences.

Our platform advocates for a U.S. foreign policy focused on preventing cyber warfare through deterrence, diplomacy, international norm-setting, and adherence to international law. While maintaining robust cyber defense capabilities, the primary goal must be to avoid conflict in cyberspace and ensure its stability.

Key Strategies for Addressing Cyber Warfare:​

  1. Establish Clear International Norms and Laws:

    • Lead international efforts to clarify the application of existing international law (including the law of armed conflict and principles of sovereignty and non-intervention) to cyberspace.
    • Promote the development and adoption of specific norms of responsible state behavior in cyberspace, such as prohibiting attacks on critical infrastructure, election systems, or nuclear command and control systems. (See section 5.6 Cybersecurity).

  2. Strengthen Deterrence:

    • Develop and communicate a clear cyber deterrence posture, signaling that significant cyberattacks against the U.S. or its allies will incur costs, while maintaining ambiguity about specific response options.
    • Maintain credible cyber defense and response capabilities to deny adversaries the benefits of attacks and impose costs if necessary.

  3. Promote Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs):

    • Engage in bilateral and multilateral dialogues, including with potential adversaries, to increase transparency about cyber doctrines and capabilities, establish crisis communication channels (hotlines), and implement CBMs to reduce the risk of miscalculation and unintended escalation.

  4. Enhance Attribution Capabilities:

    • Invest in technical capabilities and international cooperation to improve the ability to quickly and reliably attribute major cyberattacks to specific actors (state or non-state), which is crucial for effective deterrence and response.

  5. Arms Control for Cyberspace?

    • Explore the feasibility and desirability of potential arms control measures related to certain types of offensive cyber capabilities, while recognizing the significant verification challenges involved.

  6. Integrate Cyber Considerations into Broader Security Policy:

    • Ensure that cyber warfare risks and strategies are fully integrated into overall national security and defense planning, including conventional and nuclear deterrence postures.

Conclusion:​

Preventing cyber warfare requires a sophisticated blend of deterrence, diplomacy, international law, and technical resilience. By leading efforts to establish clear norms of behavior, strengthening defenses, enhancing international cooperation, promoting transparency, and maintaining credible deterrence, the United States can work to ensure that cyberspace remains a domain of innovation and communication, rather than becoming a new battlefield with potentially catastrophic consequences. Avoiding escalation and promoting stability in cyberspace must be a top foreign policy priority.