Information Systems and Security

IT Final

        Technology is rapidly increasing and it is becoming a norm in our daily lives. Throughout history mankind has worked to overcome obstacles it has encountered, and technology has allowed mankind to enhance its general well-being and increase its prosperity. In the 21st century, mankind entered an era in which technology has played a significant role. We use technology for food, work, school, medical reasons, and everything in-between. We have managed to overcome obstacles that a hundred years ago would have been seen as impossible. However, everything comes at a cost. As we entered this era of technology, we also became more vulnerable. Today, we use technology to pay our bills, check our medical records, store private pictures, and communicate with each other. Thus, it has attracted criminals to take our private information for their own gain. As mentioned by Gallagher, last year alone, over 100 banks across the globe were hit in a massive attack, it is estimated that over $100 million was stolen. Technology also created a new weapon for nations. The modern warfare is changing and nations are investing heavily in technological capabilities. Today, the playing field has changed, small nations can attack and spy on larger nations. In addition, companies around the world are becoming attacked more frequently by hacktivists and hackers sponsored by nation states. This paper will start off by defining what Cyberwarfare is, and argue and analyze how a treaty can be implemented and effective. Furthermore, this paper will analyze the factors encouraging cyberwarfare and how companies and nations are being affected.

        Cyberwarfare is the action by a nation state or an organization’s attempt to damage a nation’s infrastructure, servers, computers, or networks through the online domain. Cyberwarfare has become a concern for many nations around the world and several world leaders are starting to address the issue. During president Obama’s speech 2015 state of the union speech, he addressed the importance of building and improving the United States’ online infrastructure and make it less vulnerable to foreign attacks. United States has become an attractive destination for cyberwarfare attacks as it possesses the most valuable information, companies and government institutions have become more aware of the dangers and has also been attacked throughout the years. As a result, the United States government addressed the issue and has begun to include many western nations to draft or at least come up with a solution to cyberwarfare. The Trump administration has already stated that a large portion of the military budget will be allocated towards cyber security and warfare. Moreover, nation states must work together to come up with a sensible solution and implement treaties before cyberwarfare gets out of hand.