IO Journal: Computers as Weapons of War

Most warfare throughout the two centuries of the industrial era centered on one principal strategic objective: the physical occupation of territory. The possibility of occupying territory, or the threat of becoming occupied, forced many nations to amass large standing armies, to maintain navies, and to build aircraft in hopes of
achieving battlefield superiority against their adversaries.

Bumgarner explores the uses of cyber attacks on the 21st Century battlefield by military forces. His paper highlights some of the possible targets that can be destroyed with cyber munitions. One of the strategic targets discussed in this paper are the gas centrifuges used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons. Research surrounding the 'Stuxnet Worm' has suggested that it was designed to target gas centrifuges too.

If you found this interesting, check out our Cyber Security event, to be held on 30 May - 1 June 2011 in Brussels, Belgium.

This article appeared in IO Journal and is reprinted with the permission of the author.