We live in times of frequent change, both good and bad. In no other sector is this exemplified more obviously than cybersecurity. In less than 100 years we’ve gone from the first commercially available computer to AI-powered devices in our pockets. The industry has also weathered the Covid pandemic and had the shift towards remote working to contend with. With every innovation comes the race to secure, else risk being on the backfoot when it comes to cybercriminals. In more recent years, we’ve seen the mass adoption of public and commercial use of AI, which has, once again, reshaped the cybersecurity landscape. It’s not been an easy time for security teams. 

 

But cybersecurity does not exist in a silo. In fact, the security of a device, network, organisation and even a country is affected by the world around us. Seemingly insignificant events happening around the world can affect the cybersecurity posture of organisations on home soil, even if the two don’t seem remotely connected. The rise in nation state attacks affecting organisations indiscriminately is a good example. It’s no longer an ‘if’ we’re attacked, rather ‘when’. The ‘by whom?’ question is one frequently asked, but lesser known.

 

In many parts of life, the shift towards operating in cyberspace is natural in both personal and professional capacities. Many organisations have migrated to the cloud and/or hybrid environments, for instance. But where does that leave modern warfare? The public seems to think that the next battlefield may be cyberspace. 

 

In the face of rising geopolitical tensions worldwide, new research conducted on behalf of International Cyber Expo has found that the public is ‘worried’ about the prospect of cyber warfare. Despite concern, the majority of people (72%) believe that cyber warfare is likely to be the next step in modern combat. But what does this actually mean?

 

When examining the research closely, it is revealed that over half of the British public believe that cyber warfare combined with physical tactics is likely to be the next step in warfare, a further 20% say that cyber warfare will outpace physical warfare entirely. Only 5% of people maintain that cyber warfare will never replace physical warfare. The survey shows piqued interest in cybersecurity in relation to world events, no doubt in light of recent and ongoing occurrences. 

 

Although we eagerly anticipate the new UK Government’s Autumn budget, previous governments have continued to pump billions into physical warfare. An investment of £54.2 billion was made on defence in the 2023/24 financial year, according to the UK Defence Spending report 2024. But, is it time for a bigger pot to be allocated to cyber? 

 

In many ways, the conditions of cyberspace create the perfect storm for a cyber war to play out: frequently anonymised spaces, a greater risk appetite, the mingling of state and non-state affiliated actors, and the opportunity to carry out attacks more aggressively. Tarquin Folliss, Vice Chairman of SASIG, calls cyberspace the “the perfect grey zone between war and peace.” Ultimately, cyberspace leads to a greater chance of miscalculation. 

It is likely that the weaponisation of cyberspace will continue to evolve, but it is unlikely to develop as an independent capability in and of itself. One thing’s for certain, the increasing weaponistion of cyberspace will undoubtedly re-shape how we think of modern combat.  

 

Warfare is just one of the concerns that the British public have when it comes to cyber. Over half of the population are also worried about the impact of cyberattacks targeting critical national infrastructure (CNI), including attacks on critical services like utility providers, healthcare, government and policing. A recent example of these sorts of attacks is the the June 2024 cyberattack on Synnovis, which affected NHS facilities across the UK, causing more than 200 ‘life saving’ operations to be cancelled. Cybersecurity is increasingly infringing on the day to day lives of many. 

 

What’s clear is that cybersecurity is hot on the minds of the public. At one stage, cyber was considered too technical for the average person. Now, however, the lives of the public and the safety of the organisations they depend on, in both private and public sectors, are inextricably interlinked. Organisations must be held accountable for their cybersecurity postures; the public are watching. 

 

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To hear more about geopolitics and cybersecurity, visit the International Cyber Expo, held at Olympia London on the 24th and 25th September 2024. 

To register for FREE as a visitor, visit: https://international-cyber-expo-2024.reg.buzz/glonal-cyber-summit-press-release