Cyberattacks by criminal organisations and state actors pose an escalating threat to governments, businesses, and critical infrastructure worldwide. Cyberwarfare operations seek to spy on, steal from, disrupt or damage adversaries through digital means. Major cyberattacks often make headlines, but beneath the surface a constant shadow war is underway targeting computer networks and systems. In this blog, we’ll provide an accessible look at the evolution of cyberwarfare capabilities, high-profile cyberattacks, unique cyber risks for businesses, and the complex challenges of bolstering cyber defences.

The Rise of Offensive Cyber Capabilities

While cyber operations have occurred for decades, sophisticated state-sponsored cyberwarfare units began emerging in the 1990s and 2000s. The U.S. Cyber Command and similar units in China, Russia, Iran and North Korea exemplify growing offensive cyber capabilities. These and other states now have cyber “weapons” to infiltrate adversaries’ networks and systems to gather intelligence or prepare the battlefield. Cyber sabotage or disruption operations could also cripple critical infrastructure like power grids. There are also "false flag" operations intended to sow confusion over attribution. Cyberwarfare will likely become even more prominent as states develop advanced capabilities around machine learning, quantum computing and AI. Major investments in cyber forces reflect how integral digital sabotage and espionage have become to power projection, as both complements and alternatives to conventional military means.