Cybersecurity from a Constructivist, Liberalist, and Realist Lens
The Information Age, also referred to as the Computer Age, Digital Age, or New Age Media, is a historical period that began in the mid-20th century. The Information Age is characterized by a rapid epochal shift from traditional industry established by the Industrial Revolution to an economy based primarily upon information technology (IT). Data has become the dominate tool of the twenty-first century. Technology professionals have witnessed first-hand both the positive and negative effects of global interconnectedness within modern society. Many new graduates from reputable cybersecurity, computer engineering, computer science, data science, or software engineering related programs at accredited colleges and universities are employed by Department of Defense (DoD), military components, or the Intelligence Community (IC) annually. While working for DoD, military components, or the IC, many new hires begin to develop a working understanding of the role of cybersecurity and military intelligence to fight wars in the modern era.
In the current Information Age era, the rise of the internet and computers greatly impacts daily lives in ways unfathomable; many would not have imagined the globally connected world, which is commonplace today, at the end of the last century . Due to the rise of cybersecurity risks to national security, the United States government has established the United States Cyber Command (CYBERCOM), another unified combatant command. Cybersecurity has three primary tenets of operation which include computer network attack (CNA), computer network defense (CND), and computer network exploitation (CNE). Computer network attack (CNA), defense (CND), and exploitation (CNE) functions are sometimes collectively referred to as computer network operations (CNO). Computer network attack allows intelligence agencies to attack host countries and actors that threaten the national security interest of the United States. Computer network defense consists of the hardening of critical infrastructure and national security assets; this is typically referred to as patching and hardening. Computer network exploitation consists of undercovering both known and unknown vulnerabilities of commonly used devices which may find themselves in the hands of nation-state enemies. Today, corporations, governments, and individual finds themselves being targeted by cyber-attacks to varying levels due to both domestic and foreign actors alike. The Department of Homeland Security addresses both domestic and emergency management challenges and risks through its various component organizations.
With a basic understanding the triad nature of cybersecurity (attack, defense, and exploit), one would like to begin examining cybersecurity from a liberal internationalism lens. From a liberalist perspective, commercial interests and international institutions are the key actors needed to foster better international relations between China and the US. Currently, commercial interests remain strained due to the trading deficit between China and the United States among other issues related to national security; cybersecurity and supply chain risk management are also a key concern to national security interest of the United States. Through conservations with supply chain risk managers, one learns that intelligence community agencies often discover the presence of spyware embedded in the motherboards of mission critical desktops, network devices, and servers. It is believed that compromised devices are transmitting essential information back to Chinese actors. The presence of suspicious firmware in mission-specific national security IT systems possess a significant risk to the national security of the United States. As a result of these finding, the United States keeps a working list of distrusted manufactures which knowingly or unknowingly supplies these components to distributors; these components from China are cheaper than most of its competitors.
From a cybersecurity perspective, China remains an alleged threat to many countries due to their supply chain risk management concerns with semiconductor manufactures and telecommunication companies, such as Huawei. In addition, an international institution governing cybersecurity is non-existent. It is alleged that China has stolen corporate and government intellectual property on various occasions; however, it is often challenging to pinpoint the source of cyber-attacks due to the global interconnectedness of the internet. One example of China attacking a corporation is China’s alleged attack on Sony. China is known a communist regime while the US touts its founding upon a democratic creed. Many believe that China has increased its investments in military might; however, many believe that China does not currently possess the military might needed to effectively rival the United States today. It is important to note that China continues to increase its military spending, annually. Therefore, China understands it does not currently have military might to challenge the US; instead, China continues to attack the US and other countries with its cybersecurity assets. Furthermore, China continues to resist embracing a true democracy, but rather seeks to maintain control over its population under its communist regime. Many experts acknowledge, it is more economical to launch a cyberwar than launching a kinetic engagement (hot war). Not to mention, the effects of cyberwarfare can be just as lethal, if not more, than kinetic strike; both, cyber and kinetic warfare can cause significant critical infrastructure, i.e., electrical grid devastation among other things, and economic damage. A transition to democracy in China would probably only be realized through military force.
From a liberalist perspective, a cyber diplomacy policy enacted by the United Nations maybe the potential solution needed to address cybersecurity concerns globally; the United Nations should take the lead in crafting cyber diplomacy policies and enforcement protocols in hopes of gaining concurrence and implementation with UN membership (Snyder, 2004, p.7). Cyber diplomacy is defined as the use of diplomatic resources and the performance of diplomatic functions to secure national interest in cyberspace. China and other countries suggest that cyberspace can no longer be dominated by the West (Europe and the United States) and needs to reflect the new balance of power in the international system. Although, understanding the liberalist perspective is helpful, a liberal internationalism perspective alone does not adequately address the cybersecurity challenges prevalent between China and the US (Barrinha, 2020).
After reviewing cybersecurity from a liberalist perspective, one should review cybersecurity from a realist perspective. When one considers the unrestricted warfare doctrine, China may be using be using cybersecurity to fulfill a portion of its unrestricted warfare doctrine. Military power and state diplomacy are the main instruments of realist (Snyder, 2004, p.7). Currently, the United States has superior military power when compared to Chinese military force. China has a much larger population when compared to the United States but possesses less military capability when compared. At this instance in time, China possesses cybersecurity capabilities which compete with the United States. Both nations use their cyber capabilities to fulfill its own self-interest. In addition, Thucydides Trap remains a reality from a cybersecurity perspective between China and the United States; China remains in relatively close competitive proximity to the United States. The United States would like to see a wider economic, technology, and trade chasm between itself and China; China is too close for United States comfort. Current and former federal executives agree; China poses a real threat to United States interest. China continues making key investments in 5G, New IP, and surveillance technologies while the United States works to advance technologically while discouraging other countries to distrust China. Many believe that the United States is beginning to trail China from a technological perspective; the United States is plagued with aging infrastructure which is costly to modernize or upgrade. From a realist perspective, both China and the US employ cyber operations to fulfill their country-specific power and security mission objectives. From a realist perspective, USCYBERCOM may consider bilateral cyber diplomacy negotiations with China’s Strategic Support Force (SSF) to develop mutually beneficial policy solutions to preempt kinetic conflict resultant from antagonistic cyber operations (Barrinha, 2020).
Neither liberalist internationalism nor realism are sufficient to fully understand the role of cybersecurity in international relations; therefore, one should consider the constructivist (idealist) perspective as well. The constructivism perspective believes international politics are shaped by collective values, culture, persuasive ideas, and social identities; ideas and values are the main instruments of constructivism (Snyder, 2004, p.7). When one considers a constructivist perspective, cybersecurity experts must promote new ideas and values to promote effective global cyber policies and transactional networks. Globally recognized think tanks, such as the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and others, could be useful in studying the collective values, cultures, persuasive ideas, and social identities of cybersecurity actors, but specifically China and the United States. From a constructive perspective, one should also seek unbiased policy solutions from a globally diverse think tank composed of G20 countries with experts in academia, government, NGO’s, and private industry from each country.
Many experts believe cyberwarfare provides a cheaper alternative to kinetic engagement; like kinetic engagement, cyberwarfare can significantly threaten and disrupt economic, monetary, and national security interest among other factors. Developed policy guidance from a constructive perspective can potentially inform international governance organizations, relevant government agencies, and private industry to address both realism and liberalism perspective concerns, specifically organizations which include, but not limited to: CYBERCOM, SSF, the United Nations, etc. Through purposeful assessment of constructivist, liberalist, and realist perspectives, one has a better probability of effectively combat the global threat of cybersecurity and cyberwarfare while balancing global interest.
Works Cited
Barrinha, A. (2020, June 10). The Emergence of Cyber Diplomacy in an Increasingly Post-Liberal Cyberspace. Retrieved from https://www.cfr.org/blog/emergence-cyber-diplomacy-increasingly-post-liberal-cyberspace
Haass, R. (2021). The world: A brief introduction. Penguin.
Snyder, J. One World, Rival Theories. Foreign Policy. November/December 2004, p.3 and p.7
