Cybersecurity - Cyberwar Flashcards
Cyberwarfare
Cyberwarfare is when governments or groups use hacking to attack other countries for political or military reasons.
Offensive Cyber Operations (OCO)
OCO are cyberattacks by governments to spy on, disrupt, or damage enemy systems.
Military Cyber Operations
These are cyberattacks used by the military to gain an advantage in war.
Critical Infrastructure Attacks
These attacks target essential services like power, water, and hospitals.
📌 Example: A cyberattack on an energy grid shuts down electricity for an entire city.
Cyberwarfare vs. Traditional Warfare
Cyberwarfare is faster, global, and cheaper than traditional war but can still cause major damage.
📌 Example: Instead of bombing a factory, a hacker could shut down its systems remotely.
Cyberpersistence Theory
The idea that countries must always be ready for cyberattacks because threats never stop.
📌 Example: Governments monitor enemy cyber activities every day to prevent attacks before they happen.
Cyberespionage
Spying through hacking to steal secret information from governments or companies.
📌 Example: A hacker steals classified military plans from a government database.
Disinformation Attacks
Using fake news and propaganda to influence public opinion and create chaos.
📌 Example: Fake social media accounts spread false election results to cause panic.
Hacktivists
Hackers who attack systems for political or social causes rather than money.
📌 Example: A hacktivist defaces a government website to protest against laws.
Cyber-Mercenaries
These are hackers-for-hire who work for the highest bidder, including governments.
📌 Example: A group of hackers is paid to attack an enemy’s banking system.
Attribution Problem
It is hard to know who launched a cyberattack because hackers hide their tracks.
📌 Example: A cyberattack comes from a Russian IP address, but the hackers could be from another country.
Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)
Highly organized hacker groups, often backed by governments, that carry out long-term cyberattacks.
📌 Example: APT44 (Sandworm), a Russian-backed hacker group, has been linked to attacks on Ukraine’s power grid.
Cyberwarfare and International Law
Countries disagree on whether cyberattacks should be considered acts of war.
📌 Example: NATO’s Tallinn Manual provides guidelines for cyberwarfare rules.
Election Interference
Hacking elections by stealing data, spreading fake news, or attacking voting systems.
📌 Example: Russian hackers allegedly influenced the 2016 US election by leaking emails.
Cyberattacks on Military Targets
Hackers target weapons systems, military databases, or communication channels.
📌 Example: A cyberattack disrupts an army’s GPS signals, making it harder to launch attacks.
Cyberattacks on Civilian Infrastructure
Attacks that cause chaos in everyday life, like disrupting transportation, healthcare, or finance.
📌 Example: A hacker group takes down airport websites, delaying flights.
Ransomware in Cyberwarfare
Some attackers use ransomware to encrypt important data and demand money.
📌 Example: The NotPetya attack in 2017 used ransomware to cause billions in damage worldwide.
Power Grid Attacks
Cyberattacks on electricity supply systems to cause blackouts.
📌 Example: In 2015, Russian hackers shut down power for 230,000 people in Ukraine.
Cyberattacks on Telecommunications
Targeting mobile networks and the internet to block communication.
📌 Example: In 2023, a cyberattack shut down Kyivstar, Ukraine’s largest telecom provider.
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks
Flooding a website or service with too much traffic so it crashes.
📌 Example: Hackers take down a country’s government websites by overloading them.
Malware and Spyware in Cyberwarfare
Using malicious software to spy, steal data, or destroy systems.
📌 Example: The Stuxnet worm was used to damage Iran’s nuclear program.
Cyberwarfare Risk Assessment
Governments analyze threats and decide how prepared they are for cyberattacks.
📌 Example: Denmark’s threat report says Russia and China are the biggest cyber threats.
Cyberwarfare and Energy Attacks
Hackers target oil, gas, and electricity systems to create economic damage.
📌 Example: A Russian hacker group tried to attack 22 Danish energy companies in 2023.
Transportation Infrastructure Attacks
Hackers disrupt airports, railways, and shipping to slow down a country’s economy.
📌 Example: In 2024, Russian hackers took down websites for Danish transportation services.
