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Suggested Citation:"Part I: Framing and Basic Technology." National Research Council. 2009. Technology, Policy, Law, and Ethics Regarding U.S. Acquisition and Use of Cyberattack Capabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12651.
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Page 77
Suggested Citation:"Part I: Framing and Basic Technology." National Research Council. 2009. Technology, Policy, Law, and Ethics Regarding U.S. Acquisition and Use of Cyberattack Capabilities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12651.
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Page 78

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Part I Framing and Basic Technology Part I contains one chapter—Chapter 2—which provides an introduc- tion to the technological and operational dimensions of cyberattack. The technological dimensions refer to what cyberattacks are and how they might be conducted. As the chapter makes clear, there are many differ- ent kinds of cyberattack with many different kinds of objectives, and the term “cyberattack” without further qualification should be seen more as a statement about the use of a particular attack methodology than about its targets or purpose. The operational dimensions refer to the support that a successful cyberattack requires, such as intelligence information about its targets and ways to start, stop, and calibrate a cyberattack. Cyberexploita- tion is addressed separately and in contrast to cyberattack. Note to the reader: When the name of a nation is needed in this report, the names “Zendia” and “Ruritania” are used as stand-ins. Depending on context, these nations may be a near-peer nation-state with military and economic stature and power comparable to that of the United States; a small, relatively undeveloped nation; or something in between. Generally in this report, Zendia is an adversary of the United States. 77

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The United States is increasingly dependent on information and information technology for both civilian and military purposes, as are many other nations. Although there is a substantial literature on the potential impact of a cyberattack on the societal infrastructure of the United States, little has been written about the use of cyberattack as an instrument of U.S. policy.

Cyberattacks--actions intended to damage adversary computer systems or networks--can be used for a variety of military purposes. But they also have application to certain missions of the intelligence community, such as covert action. They may be useful for certain domestic law enforcement purposes, and some analysts believe that they might be useful for certain private sector entities who are themselves under cyberattack. This report considers all of these applications from an integrated perspective that ties together technology, policy, legal, and ethical issues.

Focusing on the use of cyberattack as an instrument of U.S. national policy, Technology, Policy, Law and Ethics Regarding U.S. Acquisition and Use of Cyberattack Capabilities explores important characteristics of cyberattack. It describes the current international and domestic legal structure as it might apply to cyberattack, and considers analogies to other domains of conflict to develop relevant insights. Of special interest to the military, intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland security communities, this report is also an essential point of departure for nongovernmental researchers interested in this rarely discussed topic.

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