What Everyone Needs to Know About Cyberwarfare
What comes to mind when you hear the term, “cyberwarfare”? Is it something out of a Sci-Fi movie? Do you consider it a problem for the uniformed geeks at CYBERCOM? Are you reflective of that time your uncle’s social security information was leaked during a hack of a federal agency? Do you have visions of Facebook crashing, satellites falling out of the sky, and us all being thrown into a Digital Dark Age?
Unfortunately, large-scale cyberwarfare is a likely reality of our connected future. It’s a downside to having the convenience of instant information and communication via the Internet. This is our soft underbelly - hyperconnectivity that’s permeated all aspects of our organizations, society, and lives. I wish the threats and realities of cyberwarfare were as far-fetched as my grandma’s paranoia regarding alien abduction; however, the connectivity we’ve all become accustomed to is enabling the evolution of a whole new battlefield - cyber.
What is Cyberwarfare?
"Cyberwarfare” is a dynamic topic that has varying definitions and applications in academia, defense, government, and industry. Bottom line: The geeks who work in cyber have not reached a consensus as to how to define it (yet). Thus, if you venture down the rabbit trail attempting to define cyberwarfare, you’re going to encounter a variety of definitions.
In an attempt to not stir the already muddy waters, I’ll share my current go-to cyberwarfare definition:
Cyberwarfare is an offensive action that utilizes information systems as weapons against an opposing force.
In Predicting the Proliferation of Cyber Weapons into Small States, Daniel Hughes, and Andrew Colarik provided a further definition for cyberwarfare to include:
Involving actions that achieve political or military effects
Involving the use of cyberspace to deliver direct or cascading kinetic effects that have comparable results to traditional military capabilities
Creates results that either cause or are crucial components of a serious threat to a nation’s security or that are conducted in response to such as threat.
An enemy state remotely directing mass transit into a series of transportation crashes? Cyberwarfare.
A pissed-off ex posting revenge porn of an individual online? Cybercrime —a serious offense, but different from cyberwarfare in scope and intent.
The definition of what is and isn’t cyberwarfare will likely continue to evolve in step with technology’s rapidly advancing capabilities and their potential for subsequent weaponization expands. What’s essential to understand is that cyberwarfare is so much more than just hacks by radicalized incels living in their mommy’s basement.
4 Things Everyone Needs to Know About Cyberwarfare
Cyberwrafare’s potential battlefield is expansive.
Unlike traditional battlegrounds with clear geographical limits, cyberwarfare has a reach that extends far beyond national boundaries and physical spaces. Cyberwarfare has the potential to be so much more damaging than just computer viruses and data leaks. Our enemies will likely attack critical components of our society such as infrastructure, communication, healthcare, and financial networks. To deliver a heavy payload, technological systems that extend into the daily lives of ordinary people - not just U.S. service members - are likely to be prioritized. Chaos through loss of connectivity will be likely objective from these types of attacks.
Everyone is a potential target of cyberwarfare.
The effects are not confined to the military or government agencies; rather, they reach deep into civilian life which makes anyone connected to the digital world a potential target. Personal data, private accounts, healthcare information, financial records, and even social media may become elements of the potential battlefield. No one will be inherently immune from the effects of cyberwarfare. Additionally, thanks to the ongoing weaponization of mis/disinformation, coercion, and chaos may be used to turn us against each other, our community, and our nation. In some ways, cyberwarfare has democratized risk, making each of us a potential target - even if we lack military training.
Cyberwarfare may involve fighting dirty.
While all wars are brutal and tragic, there are international laws, codes, and regulations regarding how our nation and allies engage in traditional warfare. With cyberwarfare, all the due process we are accustomed to has the potential to go out the window. There may be no formal declarations, clear battle lines, or predictable engagements. Cyberwarfare tactics often rely on covert weaponized technology aimed at destabilizing or manipulating entire societies. Cyberwarriors can strike critical areas like the energy grid or emergency response systems, all while remaining virtually invisible until the damage has been done. This covert and deceptive nature makes cyberwarfare especially difficult to defend against and means that adversaries can "fight dirty," exploiting vulnerabilities without warning. It may not be “soldier on soldier” if you catch my drift.
National security requires a cyber-capable workforce.
As cyberwarfare increasingly shapes national security, developing a capable and resilient cyber workforce is critical to defending against potential cyber threats. This workforce includes not only uniformed military personnel and government employees but also private sector partners who collaborate to respond to and mitigate the complex and evolving threats in cyberspace. Cyber capabilities cannot be limited to a select few; we need a baseline of cyber competence across society. This means integrating cybersecurity awareness into school curricula, teaching foundational skills for safe connectivity, and preparing individuals to navigate a world where cyber threats impact every domain of life. Our ability to respond to the cyber-mortars that may threaten our nation will require a digitally-informed population.
What can we do to prepare for the future of cyberwarfare?
I wish the potential for cyberwarfare wasn’t a reality. Technology, in its many positive uses and applications, changed the world - much for it for the better. I can Facetime my grandparents during the lockdown, I can send my deployed relatives new playlists in just a few seconds, and I’m able to maintain a career even when I’m on bedrest due to surgery recovery. Yet, with these advancements comes a darker side—cyberwarfare—which threatens the very connectivity that we’ve come to depend on. The same technologies that make life easier also open up vulnerabilities, and ignoring this risk is no longer an option.
Preparing for these evolving threats calls for enhanced education, proactive policy, and resilient technology. Cybersecurity awareness across society—not just among experts—is vital for our national defense, with digital literacy taught from a young age to build a cyber-ready society. National policies must support proactive cyber defense and encourage collaboration between government, industry, and private sectors to strengthen infrastructure and establish clear data protection standards. Investing in cyber-resilience technologies, like AI-driven security tools and advanced encryption, will also help public and private sectors detect and respond to threats in real time. Community preparedness through public awareness and accessible cybersecurity training empowers everyday users to take protective actions.
Cyberwarfare is no longer a distant concept—it’s a pressing concern that calls for action and vigilance. By understanding the stakes and taking steps to safeguard our digital infrastructure, we can better prepare ourselves for a connected future that is both secure and resilient.