War Studies Inside cyberwarfare: Navigating the digital battlefield
Oct 1, 2025
Dr. Tim Stevens, a Reader in international security at King's College London's Department of War Studies, dives into the complexities of cyber warfare. He dissects the evolving nature of digital conflicts and the challenges of defining cyber warfare. Stevens reveals how states and non-state actors exploit digital systems, impacting everyday life and critical infrastructure. He highlights ethical dilemmas and international regulatory gaps, stressing the societal need to address vulnerabilities in our interconnected world.
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Cyber Warfare Defined And Contested
- Cyber warfare leverages computer networks and data to produce tactical, operational and strategic advantage.
- The term is contested and often overused, so precise definition matters.
Cyberspace Became A Military Domain
- Conceptualization shifted from computers-as-tools to thinking of cyberspace as an operational domain.
- NATO formally recognized cyberspace as a domain at the 2016 Warsaw Summit.
Define Cyber Warfare Rigorously
- Use rigorous, non-metaphorical definitions when researching or discussing cyber warfare.
- Constrain scope to avoid diluting the term and ensure empirical usefulness.
