Bytes and battles

Omay Aimen

Saturday, Nov 18, 2023

Published in: The International News

Wide-ranging global shifts in the post-cold war era, such as financial crises and environmental concerns, have sparked a prodigious security discourse.

Due to reasons that include globalization, energy problems, and natural disasters, there has been an increase in international terrorism in the twenty-first century, which poses a serious threat to both state security and human existence. Non-Traditional Security (NTS) challenges have garnered more attention over the past 10 years, leading countries to reassess their foreign policy approaches.

With the increasing importance of non-traditional threats (NTTs), Pakistan is faced with the necessity of expanding security measures beyond traditional military tactics. As technology advances quickly, cybersecurity becomes an increasingly important frontier, leading countries to compete for leadership in cyberspace. This change highlights the complex and varied security issues that confront humanity today, calling for an all-encompassing strategy to protect national security and welfare.

As demonstrated by the 2007 DDoS attack on Estonia and other breaches like the Russian attack on Georgia, essential infrastructure in an interconnected world becomes a major target for cyberattacks even when the core computer network is unaffected. Such tragedies have a global impact and have led to a global reevaluation of national security. Cyber threats, such as ransomware, phishing, and DDoS attacks, affect every country. Developed nations view cyberspace as a military area because they understand how important cybersecurity is. This is demonstrated by programmes like the UK’s ‘National Cyber Force’, which was founded in 2020 and has plans to increase its manpower by 2030.

The establishment of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in 2016 underscores the dedication to augmenting cognizance and executing pragmatic approaches to counter cyber hazards, thereby revolutionizing the worldwide conversation on national security and autonomy amidst dynamic cyber obstacles.

Cyberwarfare represents a novel and difficult frontier for Pakistan, for which it is presently ill-prepared. The government has made large investments in conventional defence to prepare for physical attacks, but it has not yet given its organizations a strong cybersecurity strategy to effectively combat cyber threats. Pakistan has to significantly advance its technological capabilities, as seen by its innovation ability, which is ranked 107th out of 131 countries. India’s military doctrines incorporate its established cyber offence policy, making Pakistan a potential target for Indian cyber warfare capabilities.

Information warfare tactics, including cyberwarfare, are part of India’s ‘Cold Start Doctrine’ and are vital in destroying the enemy’s computer-based infrastructure. Serious state-level cyberattacks against Pakistan have occurred in recent years; these attacks are frequently linked to Indian hackers who are active in South and Southeast Asia and who target Pakistani military and government institutions in particular. Early in 2021, reports from the cybersecurity company Lookout highlighted cases in which Indian hackers used malware apps for Android called Sunbird and Hornbill to spy on Pakistani nuclear and military authorities, highlighting the growing threat of cyberattacks in the area.

With the Modi administration’s assistance, the hacker collective Confucius employed mobile surveillance in February 2021 to spy on prominent targets in Pakistan and Kashmir. They deceived important people into downloading dangerous files, which resulted in a hack that Pakistani intelligence found in August 2020. Indian intelligence’s penetration of military and government leaders’ mobile devices exposed Israel’s spyware usage in India.

India’s continuous attempts to strengthen defences, make investments in AI, and modernize international cyber infrastructure demonstrate its dedication to staying one step ahead of the constantly changing cyber threat scenario. According to reports, there have been instances of Indian hackers engaging in cyberwarfare in Palestine, Canada, and Qatar. These reports underscore the dynamic nature of India’s cyber activity.

In retaliation, Qatar charged that Indian hackers had gained illegal access to servers, had leaked credentials, had vandalized websites, and leaked minutes. The web servers for the CCTV cameras in Qatar were also compromised. Cyber Express reported on a concerted cyberattack on Qatar’s vital government e-commerce infrastructure by an Indian cyber outfit. The same hacking gang is said to have previously targeted Palestinian and Canadian government websites in retaliation for remarks made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the death of Hardeep Singh Najjar. The organization also said that it was behind the hacking of the Hamas website during the confrontation between Israel and Hamas.

One concern is whether an all-encompassing worldwide prohibition should apply to the conduct of Indian hackers who are breaking international law and spreading false information via social media accounts. The continued illicit activity of Indian hackers makes it imperative to take the appropriate steps to stop them on a worldwide scale.

Pakistan and other countries have found themselves in unknown territory as a result of the changing global security picture, characterized by the intricate interaction of non-traditional threats and the quick development of cyber capabilities. The paradigm shift from traditional military tactics to cyber threats highlights the vital necessity for all-encompassing security solutions.

The challenges that Pakistan faces from cyberwarfare, such as state-level strikes associated with entities such as India, highlight the need for investing in strong cybersecurity frameworks. In order to ensure a secure digital environment for all countries, the international community must address cyber threats together and take into consideration the formation of international rules to curb illicit cyber activity. This is because the world community faces similar issues. Because cyberwarfare is dynamic, there needs to be ongoing attention to detail, flexibility, and international cooperation.