Between Doomsday and Dismissal; Collective Defence, Cyber War and the Parameters of War

Abstract

Cyber operations, the ‘fifth dimension’ of warfare, is a contentious issue in scientific debates. This article analyzes two opposing theoretical frameworks about cyber war: ‘doomsday or dismissal’. Some scholars argue that cyber Armageddon will be upon us, while others claim cyber war does not even exist. At the Wales Summit, NATO member states have decided that cyber attacks can warrant collective action under the NATO treaty stipulations. Therefore, it is more than necessary to think through the offensive and defensive uses of cyber power within the war paradigm.