How The Chinese Conduct Cyber Warfare Operations, By Exploiting Ict Systems On Selected Targets

HOW THE CHINESE CONDUCT CYBER WARFARE OPERATIONS, BY EXPLOITING

ICT SYSTEMS ON SELECTED TARGETS

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Literature Review

This chapter presents a literature review and analysis of the how the Chinese carry out

Cyber warfare processes by manipulating ICT systems flaws on carefully chosen targets. The

primary purpose of this section is, therefore, to evaluate China’s cyber warfare capabilities while

simultaneously attempting to answer the question about the likely implications for bilateral as

well as Cross Straight Relations with the United States of America. Libicki defines cyber warfare

as cyber confrontation perpetuate by nation-states against other countries. The practice, however,

encompasses different forms of attacks carried out by terrorist groups or hackers with the aim of

promoting the goals of one state against another. Cyber warfare is made possible by cyberspace

which represents an artificial sphere that has evolved during the current century to provide

incredible benefits on the one hand while generating new challenges and risks to cybersecurity.

Currently, government agencies and global ICT bodies have increased their focus on

cybersecurity thereby making cyber warfare essential policy issues in the context of national

security.

Due to increasing national security concerns, the United is engaged in a process to

develop different strategies aimed at enhancing its capacity to growing threat posed by the ability

to emerge nations to conduct cyber warfare by exploiting different ICT systems of selected

targets. However, these efforts have been limited by the lack of a proper definition of the

construct of cyberwar in the country. Kanke and Clarke note that a concise interpretation and

understanding of the concept and associated terminologies are crucial in appreciating the

capacity of different nation-states such as China to carry out warfare through cyberspace by

exploiting ICT systems of selected targets. More importantly, this practice as conceptualized by

the Chinese aims at undermining the position of the United States the world leader from a

political, economic, military, and technological perspective

Cyber warfare is not possible without cyberspace. According to Tabansky, cyberspace as

the inter-connected informational technology infrastructure consisting of the internet, computing

devices, computer-based telecommunication systems in addition to the information processed

and disseminated via these systems. Other components of cyberspace include tasks specific to

the systems, and these differ significantly concerning size, complexity and the control of

different functionalities regarding diverse ambiguous processes. Control functionalities are

increasingly becoming computerized, and thus the terminology cyber in this context refers to

control aspects of cyberspace

Cyber warfare as defined by Hjortdal relates to activities that employ and target network

systems, virtual control structures and by criminal assemblages or state actors to cause maximum

damage in a manner analogous to ordinary warfare. It thus encompasses the deployment of

offensive as well as defensive stratagems to address a multitude of threats emanating from

espionage, sabotage, and cyber-attacks

. Knake and Clarke provide a more suitable definition, an

explanation for the concept in that cyber warfare is a collection of diverse actions carried out by

nation-states. The primary objective of such efforts is to penetrate another nation’s computer or

ICT infrastructure and networks to cause disturbances to critical functions.

Richard, Clarke and Robert Knake and, Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It. (New

York,NY: HarperCollins, 2012), 43.

Lior Tabansky. “The Current State Of Cyber Warfare” last modified 2017. https://www.cybersecurity-review.com/articles/the-

current-state-of-cyber-warfare/.

Magnus Hjortdal, China's Use of Cyber Warfare: Espionage." Journal of Strategic Security 4 no. 2 (2012): 3.

Richard, Clarke and Robert Knake, Cyber War: The Next Threat to National Security and What to Do About It. (New

York,NY: HarperCollins, 2012), 16.

Martin Libin identifies two types of cyber warfare. These are tactical and operational

cyber warfare. The strategic form refers to campaigns driven through cyberattacks by an

aggressor against another country via non-physical confrontation. Functional combat, on the

other hand, it involves the deployment of different cyber-attacks strategies by a state actor

against the national security and military assets of another country during the actual war.

Lech

Janczewski contends that cybersecurity is now the most outstanding national security problem

compounding the United States. The most critical aspect of this outstanding issues is underscored

by cyber warfare which involves the employment of ICT technologies and capabilities to

develop defensive and offensive weaponry to influence global relations and dominance

China defines cyber warfare as “war under conditions of informatization.”

This

definition of the construct confirms the Chinese government is cognizant of the fact that winning

battles in future does not rely on advanced armaments but the consolidation ICT solutions and

capabilities. The intention of this determination is predicated on the need to support military

operations through cyberspace creativity and innovation

. In both the United States and China,

official as well as unsanctioned discourse is underlined by the threat of Cyberwarfare and the

capacities of both countries to protect national security through improved cybersecurity

vigilance.

The escalation of cybercrimes mostly drives the debate and supplying between both

nations. Consequently, divergent narratives concerning China’s capability to carry out

efficacious cyber warfare activities by exploiting flaws of selected targets have advanced. The

Libicki, Martin C. 2009. Cyberdeterrence and Cyberwar.( Rand Corporation, 2009), 4.

Lech Janczewski, Cyber Warfare and Cyber Terrorism. (Hershey, Pennsylvania: Idea Group Inc), 8.

"China: Military cyber capabilities will grow," Oxford Analytica online last modified November 14, 2017,

https://search.proquest.com/docview/1151763753?accountid=45049.

Ibid.

Lior Tabansky. “The Current State of Cyber Warfare” last modified 2017. https://www.cybersecurity-review.com/articles/the-

current-state-of-cyber-warfare/.

United States has taken this discourse as validation for instituting pre-emptive policies geared

towards supporting the development of defensive and aggressive to enhance the ability of

agencies responsible for national security. Deployment of indiscreet surveillance the networks

also endorses these approaches. Such a shift in strategy is thus the most explicit pointer that

China can conduct warfare activities through cyberspace and inflict unmatched disruptions to the

United States from an ICT perspective.

The most reliable indication that China is indeed preparing to wage cyber warfare

through exploiting ICT vulnerabilities of the selected targets the creation of a department in

charge of cyber warfare in LBA.The principal role of this agency is to engage in continuous

efforts aimed at causing weakening or causing disruptions to the enemy’s ICT network

instantaneously.

More importantly, China is interested in using cyberspace to paralyze the

United States decision-making ability at the commencement of confrontations

The Strategy

The military history of the “People’s Republic of China” has been underlined by

disproportionate warfare over the centuries. Cyber warfare, therefore, represents just a novel

approach in its quest to realize global dominance.

Kozłowski notes that the stratagem to

conduct future warfare through cyberspace originates from the US’s experience as well as

observations made during the intervention in the Balkan states and the initial Gulf War

Stuart Malawer, "Cyberwarfare: Law & Policy Proposals for U.S. & Global Governance," 58 no. 11 (2010): 28.

"CHINA: Military cyber capabilities will grow," Oxford Analytica online last modified November 14, 2017,

https://search.proquest.com/docview/1151763753?accountid=45049.

Ibid.

Shane Haris: “China’s Cyber-Militia,”. Triposec online last modified May 31,2008.

http://www.triprosec.net/pdf/china_cyber_militia.pdf.

Andrzej Kozłowski:”The Assessment of the China’s Cyber Warfare Capabilities and Its Consequences for Potential Conflict

over,” The Cyber Weapons Gap Taiwan last modified 2016,

significantly, the Chinese predicate this plan on the operational conception known as the

“cooperative target engagement” anchored on sharing data or information concerning likely

targets concurrently by combat stages in the air, the sea as well as on land.

The United States is seen a likely target by the Chinese due to its heavy reliance on

command control systems and global information driven by satellites to amalgamate military

assets successfully. The strategy, therefore, sees America’s overreliance on information and its

dissemination via cyberspace a source of strategic advantage for the side that succeeds in

dominating any conflict or confrontation through the information superhighway.

Upon this

realization, the PLA that the Chinese required examine ways through which they could exploit

these weaknesses prompting the drafting of the earliest stratagems and guidelines for information

warfare (IW) with a particular focus on the internet in the 1990s.

Streinnon contends that the

principal target of information warfare the trust and cognitive systems of the enemies with the

intention of exerting control their actions.

In 2004, the then “Communications Department”

head for the “Chinese General Staff” provided a more detailed visualization of IW. He

underscored the need for China to develop a “Network confrontation technology” capable of

capturing, exploiting, corrupting and destroying information from the opponent. The vision also

detailed the importance of utilizing viruses, false information coupled with other tactics to

disable the normal functioning of information systems by using computer networks.

http://dspace.uni.lodz.pl:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11089/12511/11-161_174-

Koz%C5%82owski.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y.

Scott. Applegate, 2011. "Cybermilitias and Political Hackers: Use of Irregular Forces in Cyberwarfare”. IEEE Security &

Privacy 9 no. 5: 16 - 22.

A. Warikoo, 2013. “Cyber Warfare China's Role and Challenge to The United States". Himalayan and Central Asian

Studies, 17 no. 3: 61

Ibid: 63.

R. Striennon 2010, Surviving Cyberwar, (, Toronto: The Scarecrow Press, 2010), 48.

L.T. Thomas T. Decoding the Virtual Dragon, (Fort Leavenworth: Foreign Military Studies Office,2007), 333.

From a practical perspective, the underlying principle of this strategy is predicated on the

need to defend PLA’s networks on the one hand while simultaneously launching attacks to

infiltrate, exploit weaknesses. Similarly, the plan intends even to sabotage or cause destruction to

critical aspects such as warfare systems and command-and-control systems in the battlefield and

financial hubs. The primary intent in this respect is to cripple decision-making centers and

processes, slowing down military and government operations and eventually curtail the likely

adversaries’ morale.

The strategy is linked with altering reconnaissance results, radar sensing

and warning systems for ballistic missiles. Moreover, the Chinese are convinced that the actions

contained in the plan as enumerated here are can be conducted anonymously thereby reducing

the risk of counterattacks

. However, Singer and Friedman contend that this strategy meant to

enhance the ability of China to do cyber warfare is not merely an offensive approach. Chinese

strategists, therefore, hold the view that possessing advanced cyber warfare abilities is can act as

a valid deterrent measure. According to Sheldon, the understanding of cyber warfare concerning

China is markedly different from that of the United States. The country perceives the concept as

additional domain capable of influencing battle setting and therefore not an auxiliary to

conventional warfare. From the perspective of China, cyber warfare is a practice conducted

through the electromagnetic continuum and hence overlaps with the construction of customary

war. To the Chinese cyber warfare activities and abilities are bloodless

Another important aspect in how the Chinese carry out Cyber warfare processes by

manipulating ICT systems flaws on carefully chosen targets is the collecting of strategic data

M. J. Teplinsky, (2013). “Fiddling On the Roof: Recent Developments in Cybersecurity.” American University Business Law

Review 2 no. 2 (2013): pp. 225-322.

W. P. Singer and A. Friedman, Cybersecurity and Cyberwar. What everyone need to know, (New York, NY: Oxford

University Press, 2014), p. 143.

R. Sheldon 2011, “China’s Great Firewall and Situational Awareness.” Strategic Insights 10, No. 2 (2011): 36.

with the intention of augmenting the transformation process

. This behavior traces its roots to

the 863 program developed in the 1980s that encompassed a widespread campaign collecting

information concerning Western technologies

. During the initial stages, the implementation of

the strategy was chaotic, but the challenges were addressed when the Chinese military-industrial

complex began supervising the program. From then on, the increasing use of the internet has

availed a new cyber-based tool for carrying out cyber warfare operations by capitalizing on ICT

vulnerabilities of selected targets. According to the “U.S-China Economic and Security Review

Commission,” the increasing use of the Internet in daily military activities has allowed the PLA

to decrease the need for human intelligence operations in cyber warfare. Such procedures are

risky with the potential of culminating in diplomatically embarrassing disgrace in the event a spy

is caught.

Cyber Warfare Assets

China has invested in the development and acquisition of relevant ICT and human assets

in its quest to advance its ability to conduct cyber warfare. In line with objective, China has

created different units to carry out various activities concerning cyber warfare. These units fall

into two categories: patriotic hackers and professional hackers. The former work intermittently

for government to avail the necessary support for various cyberspace operations. Professional

hackers, on the other hand, work under the PLA’s supervision on a full-time basis

. The latter is

charged with the responsibility of offensive warfare through electronic means and reviewing and

Ibid. 36-51.

L. Qiao and W. Xiangsui, Unrestricted Warfare (Beijing: PLA Literature and Arts Publishing House, 2009).

U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission 2009, “China’s Propaganda and Influence Operations, Its Intelligence Activities That

Target the United States, And The Resulting Impacts On U.S. National Security “last modified 2009.

http://origin.www.uscc.gov/sites/default/files/transcripts/4.30.09HearingTranscript. Pdf.

W. P. Singer and A. Friedman, Cybersecurity and Cyberwar. What everyone need to know, (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2014),

146.

updating cyber-based countermeasures such as counter-jamming and jamming. Also, the

activities of this unit of novel “Information Safeguards Base” to respond cyber threats as well as

strengthening the security of information and ICT infrastructure

The patriotic hackers conduct simple cyberspace operations such as DDoS attacks, email

bombing and web defacement. In its preparation for conducting cyber warfare, the government

has strategically embarked on a recruitment campaign of individuals from IT departments of

Universities, online gamers, IT experts employed by state departments and sometimes even

criminals. These assets are intended to fulfill the objective of “war under conditions of

informatization.”

As Tabansky confirms the Chinese government is cognizant of the fact that

winning battles in future does not rely on advanced armaments but the consolidation ICT

solutions and capabilities. This is the rationale behind the development of this assets. The

intention of this resolve is predicated on the need to support military operations through

cyberspace creativity and innovation

From the review and analysis of literature, China’s capabilities in conducting cyber

warfare by exploiting cyber warfare demonstrate the outstanding connection to asymmetric

warfare practices. This is a justification of the popularity of cyber warfare among different

policymakers in this nation and the US. The intention of the Peoples Republic of China is

predicated on the need to create stout structures, draft doctrines and strategies by employing

different cyberspace and cyberwarfare abilities. The country, therefore, hopes to be the leader in

the Asian region and indeed the world regarding global influence and to dissuade and slow down

L. Qiao and W. Xiangsui, Unrestricted Warfare (Beijing: PLA Literature and Arts Publishing House, 2009).

"China: Military cyber capabilities will grow," Oxford Analytica online last modified November 14, 2017,

https://search.proquest.com/docview/1151763753?accountid=45049.

Ibid.

the reaction of the United States to any eruption of regional or global conflicts. More

importantly, cyber warfare as conceptualized by the Chinese aims at undermining the position of

the United States as the world leader from a political, economic, military, and technological

perspective.

Bibliography

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https://search.proquest.com/docview/1151763753?accountid=45049.

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Cyberwarfare." IEEE Security & Privacy 9, no.5 (2011): 16 - 22.

Harris, Shane. 2008. China’s Cyber-Militia. May 31. Accessed April 7, 2018.

http://www.triprosec.net/pdf/china_cyber_militia.pdf.

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