Payload

Cyber Weapons as Components of Weapon Systems

Abstract:

The authors propose a novel decomposition of a cyber weapon into cooperating modules, discussing how each module influences the weapon features. Next, the authors examine the adoption of an attack infrastructure to mitigate the weaknesses of these weapons as identified in the literature. Such an attack infrastructure supports the coordination and updating of weapon modules both during their propagation toward targets and after deployment on those targets. The use of this infrastructure parallels that of conventional physical weapons and is corroborated by the evolution of malware and rootkits in the criminal domain.

Published In

Volume 24, Issue 4

PrEP: A Framework for Malware & Cyber Weapons

ABSTRACT

The contemporary debate over cybersecurity rests on a set of linguistic artifacts that date from the Cold War. Attempting to glean a starting point for debate over use of terms such as ‘cyber attack’ or ‘cyber war’ is difficult, largely because there is little agreement on what constitutes a weapon in cyberspace. This paper proposes a new framework to classify malware and cyber weapons based on the different pieces of malicious code that constitute them, then evaluates competing definitions of cyber weapons, and concludes with implications for this approach.

Published In

Volume 13, Issue 1

Written By

Trey Herr

Journal of Information Warfare

The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.

Keywords

(

2

3

4

8

9

A
AI
APT

a

B

C
C2
C2S
CDX
CIA
CIP
CPS

D
DNS
DoD
DoS

E

e

F

G

H

I
IA
ICS

i

J

K

L

M

N

O

P
PDA

Q

R

S
SOA

T

t

U

V

W

X
XRY

Y

Z

Quill Logo

The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Get in touch

Registered Agent and Mailing Address

  • Journal of Information Warfare
  •  ArmisteadTEC
  • Dr Leigh Armistead, President
  • 1624 Wakefield Drive
  • Virginia Beach, VA 23455

 757.510.4574

 JIW@ArmisteadTec.com