| ID | 173168 |
| Title Proper | Cyber-weapons in nuclear counter-proliferation |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Horschig, Doreen |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Under what conditions are cyber-weapons effective in nuclear counter-proliferation? With continued interest in nuclear proliferation professed by Iran, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia, a discussion of the effectiveness of counter-proliferation measures remains relevant. Cyber-attacks as military option in a state-on-state conflict still requires additional corroborating evidence to make conclusions about its long-term effectiveness. This work analyses the general applicability of cyber-weapons and their usefulness in nuclear counter-proliferation. Through a comparative case study of Operation Orchard, Stuxnet, and recent “Left-of-Launch” operations against North Korea, the essay finds that cyber-operations are not particularly effective against nuclear programmes that are in the later stages of their development. They can disrupt and delay a nuclear programme temporarily, if the attack remains clandestine, but cannot halt nuclear proliferation all together. However, effectiveness increases if they are used in combination with conventional weapons. The article addresses a topic of interest to national-level decision-makers: whether cyber-operations can and should play a role in nuclear counter-proliferation. |
| `In' analytical Note | Defense and Security Analysis Vol. 36, No.3; Sep 2020: p.352-371 |
| Journal Source | Defense and Security Analysis Vol: 36 No 3 |
| Key Words | Nuclear Weapons ; Stuxnet ; Cyber-Weapons ; Nuclear Counter-Proliferation ; Operation Orchard ; Left-Of-Launch Operations |