CYBER WARFARE
1. Introduction. Lights flicker and then go down across the city. Frightened people reach for the phone but find there is no dial tone. Fire fighter moving in area but no water available, Miles away in a military base, radar screen blinks off for number of missiles and aircrafts appearing on screen. Confusion grows, tanks begin to move across the streets, all communication systems collapse and people are sitting as blind. What is this all about, it is a cyber-attack acting as a force multiplier.
2. Cyber warfare is an outcome of information age technologies like satellites, electronic mailing system, internet, computers and micro-chips. Advancements in these technologies have converted the planet earth into a global village affecting all facets of human activity including warfare. Cyber warfare can influence all three components of the nation-state: the people, the government, and the military. This is a new paradigm of warfare in which there is no need to send a formation of soldiers or a fleet of warships, instead computer viruses and logic bombs in microprocessor control units and memory chips, may cause a wide spread disruption of every tier of society including military systems.
3. Cyber warfare, which is a new battle concept in the information age, was first used by US forces during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. That effort was primitive and was limited only to the reading of E-mail sent between Iraqi commanders. US Air Force used sophisticated tools during 78-day air campaign against Yugoslavia. By then, the Pentagon was able to infiltrate Belgrade's advanced computer-integrated air defense system and inject false messages and targeting data. The Armed forces and nations around the world are subject to information attacks on a continuous basis, regardless the level and degree of engagement. Defending such attacks from the full range represents one of the nation's most serious defense challenges ever.
4. Aim. To carry out an in depth analysis of the cyber warfare threat envisaged in Pakistan, in civil as well as military spheres, with a view to recommending suitable response measures both at national and military levels.
5. Sequence
a. Part-I. Concept of cyber warfare
b. Part-II. Examples from past and latest trends
c. Part-III. Cyber threat and response
d. Part-IV. Recommendations
e. Conclusion

PART – I
CONCEPT OF CYBER WARFARE
6. Cyber Definitions
a. Information Warfare. Information warfare is actions taken to achieve information superiority in support of national military strategy by affecting adversary’s information systems while defending own.
b. Cyber Warfare. Cyber warfare is a war directed against vital nerve centres of enemy like command, control, communication and weapon system to render them inoperable.
(1) Cyber warfare can also be explained as non-kinetic offensive actions taken to achieve information superiority by affecting enemy information based processes, information systems and computer based networks.
(2) In simple terms it can be defined as a war on the internet
(3) Military use of information war can be also termed as cyber warfare. c. Cyberspace. Cyberspace is the intangible place between computers where information/data momentarily exists on its route from one end of the global network to the other.

7. Cyber Attack Weapons. Cyber warfare has its weapons which are directed against computer assisted system to activate desired effects. Some of the known cyber weapons which have been used and practiced are:-
a. Logic Bombs. Logic bombs being one of cyber weapon detonated electronically through already installed chips. They remain dormant in enemy computer system until a predetermined time. After which it would come to life and begin disrupting data.
b. HERF (High Energy Radio Frequency). “HERF” stands for “High Energy Radio Frequency” HERF guns are nothing but radio transmitters. They are able to shoot high power radio signals at an electronic target and put it out of action.
c. Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Bombs. EMP stands for Electromagnetic Pulse. The source can be a nuclear or a non-nuclear detonation. Detonation of nuclear device in close vicinity of a communication or an electronic equipment will cause wide spread damage in electronic components by inducing heavy current in the circuitry. Beside EMP bomb, short circuit in high tension wires can be a source of non-nuclear EMP. Non-nuclear EMP has same effects as nuclear EMP except less in power.
d. Nano Machines or Fire Ants. Nano machines or fire ants are tiny robots of the size of insects and are solar powered. These are able to see, smell, walk, hear and detonate on command. Unlike viruses, one can use these to attack not only the software but also the hardware of a computer.
e. Microbes. Microbes are another cyber weapon. Which gradually eat away the electronic components once introduced, like bacteria.
f. Computer Viruses. Computer viruses are software programmes, which on entering a computer reproduce and spread like biological viruses. This leads to confusion in the software commands and results in malfunction of the computer. Some of the major computer viruses are:-
(1) Trap Doors. A trap door or back door is a mechanism which is built into a system by its designer. The function of a trap door is to give the designer a way to sneak back into the system.
(2) Worms. A worm is an independent programme. It reproduces by copying itself in full blown fashion from one computer to another, usually over a network.
(3) Trojan Horses. Trojan horse is another important computer virus which is basically a mechanism for disguising a virus or a worm.
(4) Chipping. Chipping is an effective cyber weapon that can easily be configured by the manufacturers so as to malfunction at a pre-designated time or on receiving particular frequency. PART II
EXAMPLES FROM PAST AND LATEST TRENDS
8. Cyber warfare is a reality and not a fiction. It has been used and is being practiced as an important tool of war by advance countries. Few reported examples of the past are:-
a. Experiences in the Gulf War. Two of US powerful information weapons i.e. AWACS and J-STARS allowed United States to collect, analyse and distribute information, and destroy enemy’s information and communication capability. Stealth planes guided with computer con guided Missiles Blinded Saddam by knocking out his command and communication centres. US-Army’s Sand Crab jammers disrupted long range radio links throughout Iraq. The US troops on ground unloaded information from the surveillance aircrafts and satellites instantly and called fire from ships offshore on desired targets.
b. Role of Hackers. According to Pentagon officials, a group of Hackers offered Saddam to disrupt the United State military deployment to Middle East during the Gulf War for one million dollar but Saddam spurned the offer.
c. Latest United State Secret Aircraft. Latest US secret AC “Commando Solo” equipped with latest technology having tremendous capability to jam the Radio and TV Transmission. Commando Solo was extensively used during air campaign and transmitted fake radio reports to Iraqi Soldiers who were eager to listen uncensored news of war.
d. Experience in Haiti. The Pentagon launched a sophisticated media campaign against Haiti’s military regime to restore deposed President Jan Bertrand. CIA sent thousands of E-Mail messages to members of Haiti’s Government, who had personal computers to convince them about their point of view, which ultimately prove to be effective.
e. Intrusion in Bhaba Atomic Research Centre India. After the Indian Nuclear test in May 1998 there had been a great deal of interest in the scientific community regarding claim of detonation of a thermonuclear device. On 7 Jun 98, as reported in international media, that a United State hacker group known as Mill worm hacked into the computer network of Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, and accessed sensitive data concerning the nuclear tests. Although later the Indians tried to cover up this by saying that the information stolen was unclassified yet the damage was done.
f. Indian Army Web Site on Internet. In order to support their own version of the happenings in Kashmir the Indian Army sponsored a web site with the address of “http\:www.indianarmyinkashmir.com” featuring a home page titled “Kashmir a Paradise”. However in October 98 this site was hijacked by some unknown hackers who replaced the material posted on the site and when the site was opened next day, the site was displayed a photographic patchwork of Kashmiri victims under the headlines “Stop the Indians’ and ‘Save Kashmir’.
g. Blocking of Pakistan Government Site. The official web site of Pakistan was hacked by Indian hackers in mar 2002. The most alarming aspect of this hacking was that intrusion was detected after a week time and it took further 10 days to counter it.
Future Trends in Cyber Technology
9. Digitized Battlefield. Plans are underway to link a soldier with the weapons systems and terrain electronically by the year 2010. Such 21st century soldier will have a special helmet fitted with sensors connected to the satellite. He will be able to communicate using his microphone and earphone, see in the dark by using night vision goggles and thermal imaging sensors, along with a heads-up display in front of his eyes to show him where he is on the ground and give him constant intelligent updates.
10. Voice Activated Computers. Silicon chips are now available which recognize the exact frequency spectrum of an individual. Once programmed to the particular voice, it can recognize and consequently trigger any action or device interfaced with it.
11. Nano Technology. Nano Technology will be so small that they could fit into a wrist watch yet so robust that they could help in arriving at quick decisions in most critical situations of battle where human brain normally yields under stress.
12. Some possible scenarios of cyber-attacks can be:-
a. It is through computer malfunctions. Cyber warrior can cause detonation or failure of C4I and military weapon systems, leaving a country vulnerable to conventional or worse WMD attack.
b. With the use of cyber weapons targeted nations are likely to be deprived of communications, financial resources, telephone and electrical supply systems.
c. Internet being widely used can also be used to spread false information or simply disable all the news sources on the internet.
d. Financial accounts and transactions being dependent on computers can be manipulated by cyber warrior resulting zero out financial accounts of the important government or private offices, institutions or persons which result in chaos and confusion.
e. As all transport system is computer based therefore all facilities like aircrafts, railways and air traffic control system can be collapsed by hostile cyber action.
f. Through hacking cyber warrior can change the composition of steel at a mill to make it vulnerable to cracking in extreme hot and cold weather moreover he can manipulate components of a food product, to add some amounts more than the normal, which is large enough to become toxic.
g. Cyber warrior can cause widespread environmental damage through explosions at computer-controlled chemical factories.

PART-III
CYBER THREAT AND RESPONSE
13. Indian Cyber Warfare Capabilities. Indian dominance in the computer software and hardware industry and availability of her experts all over the world provides her a great strategic advantage over Pakistan. Cyber warfare being highly guarded field, no first-hand information on the exact Indian capability in this particular field is available as evident from recently established unknown set up at Red Fort in New Delhi relating to cyber aspect undertaking clandestine activities. However under mentioned indicators can provide a fairly good picture of their potential:-
a. A separate information warfare school has been established at Sikanderabad in the Silicon Valley to train army officers to develop software needs of the army.
b. Indian software industry has an annual return exceeding US $ 2 billion. Recently, United States software experts discovered a cyber-scandal where some software backdoors were intentionally left open by Indian software experts to be exploited later.
c. Indian expertise in hacking capabilities renders her the potential to enter or break into our civil as well as military computer systems.
d. Advanced software Indian industry gives her the capability to inject viruses in various computer controlled activities like banking and stock exchanges thereby resulting into industrial espionage. 14. Some of the facts about Indian capabilities in IT field are:-
a. India is being recognized as the cyber giant of tomorrow.
b. India has a brand named information technology (IT) as India Tomorrow.
c. Indians claim that IT is to India, what oil is to Gulf.
d. West acknowledges that India has the potential to become a global superpower in the knowledge economy.
e. In India there will be 2.2 million jobs in IT by year 2008.
f. Overall revenues from the IT sector will be nearly $ 90 billion Dollars including $ 50 billion US dollars in exports by 2010.
g. Out of 26 largest software houses in the world, 16 are in India.
h. Chief executives of more than 50 IT companies of the world are Indians.
j. Software industry contributes 7.5% of the GDP growth of India.
k. Exports in the IT Sector will account for 35% of total exports from India.
15. IT Road Map for Indian Army. The advancement in the field of technology has brought upon a Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) in the information age. The Ex Indian Army Chief, General V.P. Malik has said, "Cyber war is to the 21st century what blitzkrieg was to the 20th". Indian Army has finalized an IT plan for her forces and the Vision statement for this road map is "To establish a strong information technology infrastructure to act as a force multiplier by incorporating fully automated and networked operational and management information system, complemented by fully information technology literate manpower."
16. In order to implement this vision, the Indian army is undertaking number of steps which are:-
a. Indian Army has established four Institutes of Information Technology. Twenty-five more schools are planned in the coming years.
b. There are currently a number of projects analyzing and designing the army's requirements in specific field like C4I2. Among them are Command, Information and Decision Support System at tactical level, the Battlefield Surveillance System, the Artillery Combat Command and Control System, Data Based Management Systems and Graphic Information System at strategic level.
c. Indian Army is upgrading its communications network to the next generation to enhance security levels.
d. The Army has planned to field a robust network backbone along with establishment of Army Intranet in the near future. The intranet includes MIS network, Army logistics network, Military intelligence network, Army training network and operational information systems.
e. Indian Army has established a tactical communication system (TCS) to link up front line formation right up to battalion level and set up centers for cyber security. This will enable Indian army to listen deep inside the en territory.
f. Indians have established a center of excellence of cyber security in military college of telecommunication engineering, which is training personnel for hacking and anti-hacking measures.
17. IT Status for Pakistan. Before taking over of Dr Atta Ur Rehman as Federal Minister for Science & Technology, Pakistan, virtually, had no IT vision as a need of future. Because of unprecedented importance accorded to IT as global economic arena by present government, it has achieved a substantial leap forward which can be evident from fallowing indicators:-
a. Approval of comprehensive IT policy and action plan in year 2000.
b. Decrease in computer prices for almost 150% and made duty free item.
c. Decrease of internet tariff by almost 500%.
d. Increase of internet users from 0.1 million in Jun 2000 to 5 million in June 2005.
e. Establishment of almost 50 degree and 1200 diploma awarding IT institutions mostly in private sector.
f. Educating almost 10,000 government servants in software as data operators.
g. Producing 10,000 IT graduates per year.
h. Promoting higher education scholarship with a view to create 5000 PhDs by year 2008.
j. Creation of 0.2 million Jobs of computer literate persons.
k. Increase of IT companies from 80 in 1984 to 950 in year 2005.
l. Increase of software exports up to 60 million dollars.

PART – IV
RECOMMENDATIONS
18. After having discussed the various aspects of Cyber Warfare, threat perception and own response, a set of recommendations has been worked out by the panel. The focus of these recommendations will be at national as well as army level.
19. National Level
a. Establishment of Silicon Valley in Pakistan. A Silicon Valley should be established near Karachi or Lahore on the lines of the one in America or Indian Bangalore for research and development of all computer related technology including software and hardware development along with cyber warfare capabilities. It should be based on the lines of One Product one area concept.
b. Establishment of Cyber Institute. Establishment of a Cyber Institute is recommended to create awareness of Cyber warfare in the country, with special focus on organizations using computerized systems for their working. This institute should be tasked to:-
(1) Organize courses, lectures, workshops, seminars and training on the subject of Cyber Warfare for persons responsible to operate and maintain electronic and computer systems in government and private sector.
(2) It should acquire material on the latest trends and developments in the field of Cyber Warfare and disseminate the same to various organizations.
(3) It should organize training on the subject of Cyber Warfare, for personnel responsible to operate and maintain electronic and computer systems in government and private sectors.
(4) Evaluate the enemy capabilities and their vulnerabilities and suggest a suitable offensive and defensive response.
c. Research and Development Facilities through NUST. Creation of Research and development wing is recommended which will undertake research in following fields:-
(1) Effect of computer viruses on own systems.
(2) Silicon eating microbes and its counter measures.
(3) Hacking expertise.
(4) Types of EMP devices and protection against EMP attacks.
(5) Vulnerabilities of logic and time bombs and its counter measures.
(6) Indigenous development of fire wall and other security system.
d. Software Houses. Software houses are basically designed to develop the software for the systems as per the user requirements. Software houses are recommended to:-
(1) Develop software systems and hardware interface units to protect existing systems from Immediate Cyber threat.
(2) Identify, develop and monitor software standards.
e. Indigenous Production. Efforts should be made to enhance the base of indigenous production and development of computer hardware and software systems. In this regard following measures are recommended:-
(1) Incentive should be given to private sector to develop computer technology and manufacture computer related equipment.
(2) Preference should be given to transfer of technology in import of equipment.
(3) Assembling of computer systems by importing computer circuits and chips. These should be put to thorough inspection before assembly.
(4) Development of indigenous electronic chips for computer sensitive installations.
20. Army Level
a. Cyber Cell at GHQ under C4I Directorate. Creation of Cyber Cell at GHQ which should work under C4I Directorate. The expertise of the younger generation i.e. IT expert civ can be of great help. The Cyber Cell should be given a mandate for following: -
(1) To act as a nucleus for Cyber warfare and work out basic policy guidelines and priorities within the Army.
(2) To workout developmental strategy of Cyber Warfare, highlighting vulnerabilities of own systems, its counter measures and how to exploit enemy weak areas.
(3) To evaluate all computerized and computer assisted system used by Army and how to enhance their protection and security arrangement against Cyber threat.
b. Establishment of Army Software Development Board. Basing on the requirements of Army the board should develop the desired software where it can always take assistance of NUST and other IT universities in the country.
c. Awareness in the Army. Most of the modern equipment and weapon system are all computer based. Moreover with the ongoing projects of ADN, OCCS etc our computers dependency will increase manifolds and so is our vulnerability to cyber-attacks. Therefore there is a need to create awareness about this important facet of warfare. In this regard following steps are recommended:-
(1) Cyber warfare as a separate subject should be introduced at PMA and all school of instructor’s especially MCS and college of EME.
(2) Workshops and seminars at corps level should be arranged where qualified speakers in related fields should be invited.
(3) Publication on the subject encompassing all related aspect of cyber warfare be arranged by C4I Directorate and disseminated to all units.
(4) Computer operated vulnerabilities being a pronounced threat be highlighted to all ranks by arranging cadres at formation level by DBS.

CONCLUSION
21. Cyber warfare stands as the predominant form of warfare in the 21st century. It contains opportunities, which if exploited in the right direction will afford max security to the nation. But the serious dangers resulting from ignoring its imp can only be ignored at the peril of the national sovereignty. To prepare army for these challenges our officers must be proficient in computer handling and should have sufficient knowledge and awareness about the latest developments going on in the world moreover we should review our strategy, both at national and army level, to prepare ourselves for future challenges of cyber warfare.

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