Understanding Cyber Warfare: Politics, Policy and Strategy

This textbook offers an accessible introduction to the historical, technical, and strategic context of cyber conflict.

The international relations, policy, doctrine, strategy, and operational issues associated with computer network attack, computer network exploitation, and computer network defense are collectively referred to as cyber warfare. This new textbook provides students with a comprehensive perspective on the technical, strategic, and policy issues associated with cyber conflict as well as an introduction to key state and non-state actors.

Specifically, the book provides a comprehensive overview of these key issue areas:

• the historical emergence and evolution of cyber warfare, including the basic characteristics and methods of computer network attack, exploitation, and defense;
• a theoretical set of perspectives on conflict in the digital age from the point of view of international relations (IR) and the security studies field;
• the current national perspectives, policies, doctrines, and strategies relevant to cyber warfare; and
• an examination of key challenges in international law, norm development, and the potential impact of cyber warfare on future international conflicts.

This book will be of much interest to students of cyber conflict and other forms of digital warfare, security studies, strategic studies, defense policy, and, most broadly, international relations.

Christopher Whyte is an Assistant Professor of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government & Public Affairs, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA.

Brian Mazanec is a Professor at Missouri State University’s Department of Defense and Strategic Studies, USA. He is the author of The Evolution of Cyber War (2015) and co-author of Deterring Cyber Warfare (2014).