CYBER WARFARE: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Abstract

Abstract. In the era of advanced information technologies the cyberspace becomes a place
of confrontation between actors of international relations. Despite the increased use of the term
«cyber warfare», today there is no generally accepted and comprehensive definition of this term.
The reference point for the definition of the term «cyberwar» should be traditional notion of the
war. In this context cyberwar can be defined as a set of destructive, thoroughly planned and coordinated
by actors of international relations cyberattacks on enemy’s (critical) information infrastructure
in order to undermine the capacities of the target and to achieve political, economic
and military goals. The cyber warfare is the continuation of politics by other means. At the same
time cyberwar has a number of specific features that don’t match the essence of war and therefore
limit its potential in achieving strategic goals. Today the cyber warfare is an integral part
of information warfare and serves as the additional and rather effective method of psychological
pressure on the enemy. Taking into account the rapid development of modern information
technologies, cyber warfare is very likely to reach the level of traditional war in the future and
dramatically change basic concepts and methods of warfare.
Key words: cyber warfare, cyberspace, war.