Cyberspace in Peace and War (Transforming War) - Hardcover

Libicki, Martin

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1682470326 ISBN 13: 9781682470329

Publisher: Naval Institute Press, 2016

Synopsis

This book is written to be a comprehensive guide to cybersecurity and cyberwar policy and strategy, developed for a one- or two-semester class for students of public policy (including political science, law, business, etc.). Although written from a U.S. perspective, most of its contents are globally relevant.

It is written essentially in four sections. The first (chapters 1 - 5) describes how compromises of computers and networks permit unauthorized parties to extract information from such systems (cyber-espionage), and/or to force these systems to misbehave in ways that disrupt their operations or corrupt their workings. The section examines notable hacks of systems, fundamental challenges to cybersecurity (e.g., the lack of forced entry, the measure-countermeasure relationship) including the role of malware, and various broad approaches to cybersecurity.

The second (chapters 6 - 9) describes what government policies can, and, as importantly, cannot be expected to do to improve a nation’s cybersecurity thereby leaving leave countries less susceptible to cyberattack by others. Among its focus areas are approaches to countering nation-scale attacks, the cost to victims of broad-scale cyberespionage, and how to balance intelligence and cybersecurity needs.

The third (chapters 10 - 15) looks at cyberwar in the context of military operations. Describing cyberspace as the 5th domain of warfare feeds the notion that lessons learned from other domains (e.g., land, sea) apply to cyberspace. In reality, cyberwar (a campaign of disrupting/corrupting computers/networks) is quite different: it rarely breaks things, can only be useful against a sophisticated adversary, competes against cyber-espionage, and has many first-strike characteristics.

The fourth (chapters 16 – 35) examines strategic cyberwar within the context of state-on-state relations. It examines what strategic cyberwar (and threats thereof) can do against whom – and how countries can respond. It then considers the possibility and limitations of a deterrence strategy to modulate such threats, covering credibility, attribution, thresholds, and punishment (as well as whether denial can deter). It continues by examining sub rosa attacks (where neither the effects nor the attacker are obvious to the public); the role of proxy cyberwar; the scope for brandishing cyberattack capabilities (including in a nuclear context); the role of narrative and signals in a conflict in cyberspace; questions of strategic stability; and norms for conduct in cyberspace (particularly in the context of Sino-U.S. relations) and the role played by international law.

The last chapter considers the future of cyberwar.

About this title

Review

"...It has been a struggle on all fronts to transform those theoretical and empirical observations into cohesive, strategic and policy recommendations. Thankfully Cyberspace in Peace and War is a huge stride in the right direction... A very good book" The Strategy Bridge

This text is broken down into five separate parts that discuss various aspects of technology, operations, policy, and strategy. After reading this book, the reader will come away with an in-depth and detailed understanding of all those areas and how they relate to US policy and the potential outcomes in cyberspace because of those policies. [T]his book is recommended for those who want a basic understanding of cyberspace to those who currently hold a position within the realm of national security and everyone in-between. This book is truly a modern classic on the topic of cyberspace. Air & Space Power Journal

In a short time cyberspace has burst into the forefront of national security strategy. Policymakers and analysts know they need to understand the new terrain, threats, and ideas for strategic options but have lacked a broad survey that covers the issues thoroughly and deeply. Martin Libicki, one of the sharpest top thinkers on cybersecurity, combining impressive technical and strategic expertise, has filled the gap decisively. This volume is encyclopedic, creative, and readable, challenging in its detail and reflections, and equally useful for political and military experts who are not steeped in cyber technology and technical specialists who need grounding in policy and strategy.RICHARD K. BETTS, PhD, director, Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies, Columbia University, and author of Enemies of Intelligence and American Force

This book takes a comprehensive, methodical approach arguing that cybersecurity is now a new normal feature of peace and war Highly recommended. CHOICE

Cyberspace in Peace and War is useful and can be a valuable resource. It is well worth the investment for the interested scholar. PRISM: The Journal of Complex Operations

"[Libicki's book] offers clear-eyed reviews of U.S. responses to earlier state-sponsored hacks and provide analytic frameworks that could help policymakers think through the challenge of preventing future digital assaults." Foreign Affairs

This book is a must-read for those in Australias military high command and other government departments with a responsibility for national security. One thing is certain, the hackers, especially those that are government-sponsored, will already have it on their e-book shelves. Australian Defence Force Journal

Cyberspace in Peace and War will serve as a foundation for strategic planners for many years to come. Perhaps more importantly, the questions posed hereand in the strategic literature these questions are integrated intowill likely serve as a foundation from which much of our future understanding about cyber strategy will spring. Strategic Studies Quarterly

A comprehensive and readable discussion of a complicated topic, and an important contribution to a vital issue.BRUCE SCHNEIER, lecturer at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and author of Data and Goliath

Like a well-constructed novel, Martin Libicki expertly weaves together technology, operations, policy, and strategy to paint a panoramic picture of cyberspace, incorporating views from a broad range of perspectives that he skillfully applies across a variety of settings from peace to conflict. He explains complex concepts using simple analogies that leverage commonplace knowledge and experience, poses questions in search of answers, and offers reasoned arguments that address these questions from a variety of different viewpoints. The reader is challenged to apply the insights gained from these queries to develop a deeper and more practical understanding of the nature of cyberspace. This work is likely to become well known for having bridged the divides that exist among technologists, strategists, operators, and policymakers in their search for solutions to cyberspaces multifaceted challenges, and should be read by every student and practitioner of these disciplines.LT. GEN. ROBERT J. ELDER, USAF (RET.), research professor, George Mason University

About the Author

Martin Libicki is a distinguished visiting professor at the U.S. Naval Academy, and a senior management scientist at the RAND Corporation. His work involves the national security implications of information technology, notably as it involves cybersecurity and cyberwar. He has a Ph.D., from U.C. Berkeley and graduated from MIT.

Edition details

• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1682470326
• ISBN 13: 9781682470329
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 496