Cyber War: An Expected Apocalypse or a Hyped Threat?

Abstract

The rapid increase in the use of technologies dependent on the Internet has brought to the fore the security threats stemming from cyberspace. The argument that cyber threats are overestimated and viewed as a larger threat than they really are is also a point that is debated, as the constantly evolving security and threat perceptions are shaped by the changes in cyberspace. According to the proponents of this argument, cyber threats are not as severe as they are presented, despite the large budgets states assign to cyber security, cyber armies they set up or the news in the media. The most significant argument of those who assert that cyber threats are exaggerated is that known cyber-attacks have never physically harmed anyone so far. On the other hand, the idea that the world should be ready for cyber wars is voiced over and over again, specifically by state authorities. US officials have been devising analogies such as Cyber Pearl Harbor and Cyber 9/11, which indicate that cyber threats are viewed as national security issues. This article explores the efficiency of the use of cyber power diplomatically in the events that have taken place thus far and compares cyber weapons and nuclear weapons by analyzing the debates on cyber security and cyber warfare definitions. The article, as a result, views cyber security studies as an essential element of national security.