Strategic Cyber Security

The book argues that computer security has evolved from a technical discipline to a strategic
concept. The world’s growing dependence on a powerful but vulnerable Internet – combined
with the disruptive capabilities of cyber attackers – now threatens national and international
security.

Strategic challenges require strategic solutions. The author examines four nation-state approaches to cyber attack mitigation:
•  Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)
•  Sun Tzu’s Art of War
•  Cyber attack deterrence
•  Cyber arms control

The four threat mitigation strategies fall into several categories. IPv6 is a technical solution.
Art of War is military. The third and fourth strategies are hybrid: deterrence is a mix of military and political considerations; arms control is a political/technical approach.

The Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) is used to place the key
research concepts into an influence matrix. DEMATEL analysis demonstrates that IPv6 is
currently the most likely of the four examined strategies to improve a nation’s cyber defence
posture.

There are two primary reasons why IPv6 scores well in this research. First, as a technology,
IPv6 is more resistant to outside influence than the other proposed strategies, particularly
deterrence and arms control, which should make it a more reliable investment. Second, IPv6
addresses the most significant advantage of cyber attackers today – anonymity.

Book details:
Author: Kenneth Geers
Hardcover: 168 pages
Publisher: CCD COE Publications, July 2011
Language: English
ISBN 13 (print): 978-9949-9040-5-1
ISBN 13 (PDF): 978-9949-9040-7-5
ISBN 13 (ePub): 978-9949-9040-6-8

Download the book as a PDF or as an ePUB. For hard copies please write to publications-at-ccdcoe.org.