Present and Emerging Threats to National Security in Digital and Cyber Space: An Analysis of Security and Legal Issues

The rapid and extensive shift in technology, especially in the digital cyberspace domain is creating new challenges for national security. The penetration of digital technology in almost every aspect of human transactions has created data and privacy vulnerabilities not seen before. The administration and economy of every nation now rely heavily on digital technology. Not only an individual, but the society and the nation collectively are at risk of being sabotaged by external forces owing to transnational access to the sensitive social and personal data. This data is being actively used in information warfare to cause political unrest and regime change, as well as for covert & overt military application. The development of new technologies like Artificial Intelligence, deepfake and quantum computing has added whole new capabilities in the hands of one's adversaries. The armed forces are the last bastion of defence and will be called in to protect the national interest when civilian institutions falter. The creation of Defence Cyber Agency is an initial step in the right direction. All defence and security agencies will have to develop a deep understanding of new and emerging complex threats in the domain of cyberspace, laws on surveillance and Information Technology and emerging trends in international forums to come out with requisite indigenous solutions and defensive-offensive capabilities.