When we talk about cyber warfare, we think of events where nation-states or organized groups plan and execute cyberattacks to disrupt, harm, or take control of another nation’s critical infrastructure. Cyber warfare can affect government networks, power grids, financial systems, or military communications, and create effects similar to a situation that has devolved into armed conflict.
You should understand that cyber warfare is defined by the state or organized group’s scope and objectives. It is different than cybercrime because it includes organized actions to achieve an objective that may destabilize national security, or public order. You may think of when we see espionage, sabotage, propaganda, disruption, or other activites – often perpetrated by actors that have state sponsorship or are acting in support of state objectives.
You are also going to notice that the definition of cyber warfare has legal and strategic nuances. Experts will argue about when any cyber act rises to the level of warfare since there is no international agreement of what level of act is considered as cyberwarfare. Some people decry incidents of cyberwarfare only if there is some physical damage to the infrastructure and other consider the intent and scope of the incident, especially when a civilian system or national enterprises system is involved.
To understand how the theory of cyberwarfare is represented in real life, you need to look at how states use malware, DDoS, ransomware, or targeted intrusion to achieve political goals. Notable examples include Stuxnet—a precision operation against Iran’s nuclear facilities—and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) campaigns against Estonia’s government systems. These incidents illustrate how digital conflict can escalate into geopolitical standoffs, affecting both national infrastructure and international relations.
