Cyber Attacks and Critical Infrastructure

Abstract

With the technological advancement, the information revolution by the internet has involved into our everyday lives. With these technologies, many advantages are offered to the users but besides these advantages, the users are also exposed to dangerous risks. These risks involve pies and terrorists and cyber criminals by utilizing the digital internet as a source to reach government and industrial secrets as well as personal bank accounts of others. Cyber attacks are increasing day by day and they are becoming more targeted and dangerous. These attacks are mostly motivated by disruption of commerce, intellectual or financial property theft, or intelligence collection. This research conducted to examine the cyber threat to U.S. critical infrastructure, and its effects to the economy. This research will also evaluate the measures taken by the government in order to address the threat.

Table of Contents

Introduction3

Purpose of the Study4

Statement of the Question4

High Stakes9

Challenges and Responses10

The Challenges Facing Small States11

Companies Observe Rapid Increase in Cyber Attacks on Critical Infrastructure Systems12

Discussion and Analysis13

Declaration of argument/explanation15

Conclusion16

References17

Cyber Attacks and Critical Infrastructure

Introduction

With the emergence of tremendously increased capabilities of computer networks, increased vulnerabilities are also observed. These vulnerabilities are highly related to the potential attacks on man-made critical infrastructure. It is very important to evolve an international law in order to identify the attacks that are made against a nation's critical infrastructure from any cause representing a use of power. With these attacks the victims are provided with the right to self-defense involving preventive self-defense even in those cases when the attack of the computer is not considered as an armed attack under United Nations Charter Article 51. With the rapid nature of computer network attacks, it is important to immediately accrue the right to respond , in spite of the conventional hurdles made by provenance ( recognizing the identity of the hacker) characterization (determining the intent of the attacker), and the sacredness of neutrals.

This critical infrastructure involves large scale infrastructures whose destruction, disruption or degradation produce an effective impact on safety, health or well-being of the citizens or on the useful economic and administrative functioning. However, mostly the critical infrastructures are privatized. Company's own business frame work and infrastructure are focused by the operators and the owners as they pay little attention on the consequences of failed mechanisms that are away from their domain. Cyber-attacks in United States are observed in a very increased rate. Intentions of hacker may involve acquiring data from individuals or he may go after the corporations, financial industry, intellectual property, money defense business and the government. In today's societies, critical structure is considered as the basis of the effective functioning. Each military and political conflict now has a cyber dimension, whose impact and size is not easy to estimate. Currently the experts of national security have to realize that the actual military and political objective could be lost or won within the cyber space, even with the façade of just the partial line. The terrorists and foreign intelligence agencies have been aided by ...