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Sun, Joshua
Professor Malcolm Campbell
English 1103
28 September 2016
Topic Proposal: The Prominence of Cyber Warfare in Future Conflicts
Introduction/Overview
On August 6th, 1945, the first atomic bomb was dropped onto Hiroshima, immediately
vaporizing over 80,000 lives. The detonation of Little Boy changed the face of war and instilled
fear into all of mankind; however, a new invisible threat attacks in the darkness, sneaks past
walls, and renders the strongest militaries powerless: cyber warfare. According to the article
Cyberwar: The What, When, Why, and How, cyberwar is defined as any cyber operation
offensive or defensive, that is intended to harm people or destroy objects. In the same article, it is

Commented [1]: Maybe change this to "or"

stated that over 5.8 million cyber-attacks occurred solely in a period of one month, May 2013.
Nowadays, the number has increased significantly and the frequency of attacks cannot be
accurately measured due to the undetectably of more complex attacks.
In recent years, a large spectrum of groups, from small terrorist organizations to world
superpowers, have been utilizing cyber warfare to accomplish their goals because it is cheaper

Commented [2]: Maybe start a new paragraph here.

Commented [3]: add 'from' and 'to'

than the production of typical warfare. These organizations seek out vulnerabilities in systems
through various hacking techniques that can impact their desired target. In the journal article
Stuxnet and the Future of Cyber War, the United States and Israel were able to cyber-infiltrate
the closed Iranian nuclear program and dismantle the centrifuges over time by creating a

Commented [4]: change to over time

program that slowed and sped processes while showing a message that showed normality. In my

Commented [5]: You may want to address this

sentence. It seems a little lengthy.

research, an overarching theme reappeared; cyber warfare transforms widespread and expensive

Commented [6]: _Marked as resolved_

Commented [7]: _Re-opened_

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conflicts into an accessible and cheap alternative. According to Dr. Angelyn Flowers, author of
Cyberwar: The What, When, Why, How, the non-physical attacks of cyber warfare can yield

Commented [8]: :

physical results: while the future of cyberwarfare in the 21st century will likely show
cyberattacks that occur, not in conjunction with traditional armed conflict, but rather stand alone
in a non-kinetic battle, it is equally as likely that these increased nonkinetic battles will have
kinetic repercussions. The effects of cyber warfare are projected to be vast and fatal; however,

Commented [9]: projected to be?

we do not have a concrete idea of how cyber warfare may impact the future. I, specifically, will

Commented [10]: may impact

be investigating how the growing realm of cyber warfare affects future combats. Many people in

Commented [11]: This looks like the purpose of your

composition. Very interesting topic, with important
implications.

first world countries have access to a laptop or a cellphone, but do not realize that they wield
technology that can take down nations. As cyber security, terrorism, and warfare become more

Commented [12]: _Marked as resolved_

Commented [13]: _Re-opened_

prominent, how will the accessibility to technology impact the nature of wars? Will more
ordinary people become threats? Is the threat of cyber warfare overestimated or underestimated?
Will more technology-driven countries become more vulnerable? How are national defense

Commented [14]: I hyphenated this, but I'm not sure

which is best.

programs changing?

Commented [15]: This is another good question. I

think it would be intriguing to examine what efforts are
being conducted to address this new threat. You may
want to check what the Department of Defense is
currently doing in order to combat this.

I started my research reading about Stuxnet, the program that took down Iranian nuclear
centrifuges. Stuxnet and the Future of Cyber War a publication written by James P. Farwell, a
Senior Research Scholar in Strategic Studies at the Canada Centre for Global Security Studies,
and an article by George Will published on the National Review The Destructive Threat of
Cyberwarfare provided the history and implementation of that particular program code and
offered extra insight about how Stuxnet is going to change the future. Then, through the librarys
database, I found the article Cyberwar: The What, When, Why, and How, which explained the
general information on cyber warfare. This process allowed me to become more informed of
what truly happens during cyber-attacks and how prevalent it is nowadays.

Commented [16]: I'm interested to learn more from

you about how drastic future warfare is predicted to
change.

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As I continued my research I found an article, Cyber-terrorLooming Threat of
Phantom Menace? which addressed both points of how national security is threatened by
cyberspace terrorism and that our constant fear of cyber terrorism might be overblown. Dr.
Myriam Dunn Cavelty, Head of New Risks Research Unit in Zurich, Switzerland, states that
While governments and the media repeatedly distribute information about cyberthreats, real
cyber-attacks resulting in deaths and injuries remain largely the stuff of Hollywood movies or

Commented [17]: This source will greatly strengthen

your paper. Whenever you address both sides of an
argument, you gain credibility. I am interested to see
what you obtain from this article.
Commented [18]: in
Commented [19]: _Marked as resolved_
Commented [20]: _Re-opened_

conspiracy theory. In fact, menacing scenarios of major disruptive occurrences in the cyberdomain, triggered by malicious actors, have remained just that scenarios. The public eye on
cyber-attacks is one that is shrouded by false notions promoted by, partially, the lack of

Tisdall, assistant editor of the Guardian, advocates, Cyber-warfare attacks on military

Commented [21]: Honestly, I would classify myself as

having a distinct lack of knowledge on this subject. My
views on cyber-threats are likely greatly influenced by
the media.

infrastructure, government and communications systems, and financial markets pose a rapidly

Commented [22]: This is a strong sentence that helps

to lead further into your topic.

knowledge of the subject and the influence of the entertainment industry. On the contrary, Simon

growing but little understood threat to international security and could become a decisive
weapon of choice in future conflicts between states Tisdall suggests that we are all
undermining the possible effects of cyber-warfare and need to become more prepared rather than
underestimate the cyber-attacks. As technological advances skyrocket, the public needs to
generate an awareness of cyber warfare, without being influenced by false notions, in order to be
prepared for future changes,

Commented [23]: Add a concluding sentence here

that draws together the point of this paragraph. Maybe
restate the importance of cyberwarfare becoming
common knowledge.
Commented [24]: If we are undermining the possible
consequences, which I assume we are, are there any
predictions on what could happen?

Initial Inquiry Question(s)

How and to what extent will cyber warfare affect future conflicts?
My Interest in this Topic
I am interested in this subject matter, not solely because I am a tech wiz, but I find that
the possibility of living through a significant change in war especially appealing. Connecting

Commented [25]: This ties in with your goal that you

stated above. Are you going to focus on wars? I would
continue to explore cyber warfare and make sure to
provide the reader with an adequate description of it. If
you discover that this is a clear threat, what is being
done to address the problem?

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back to nuclear warfare, the atomic bomb changed war forever and people who lived through
that time did not expect it. My lack of knowledge is a crucial part in my interest in the subject.
Whether it is the creator of Stuxnet, the execution of the attacks, or the direction of cyber
warfare, all aspects of this field are shrouded with mystery, an invisible infiltration that can bring
down possibly nations. The possibilities are endless. Through my research I have learned the

Commented [26]: You could also explain how your

lack of knowledge in this subject relates to the research
that you found in the introduction - with how the public
eye has often been blinded and knows little about
cyberwarfare
Commented [27]: This can be beneficial! Make sure to
keep track of everything you already know, and the
things that you discover as you research.
Commented [28]: Try to reword this

basic techniques and systems that are used for cyber-attacks, the growing statistics of cyberhacks happening globally, and a lot about the Stuxnet attack that was able to cripple an entire

Commented [29]: _Marked as resolved_

Commented [30]: _Re-opened_

security measures are changing, to what extent it is impacting us now and in the future. How are

Commented [31]: This is what I was talking about

earlier in my comments. This would be very interesting
information for the reader - especially if the threat is
severe.

they implementing cyber-attacks? How are satellites being targeted? I want to examine the

Commented [32]: Who is "they" here?

nuclear program. I hope to learn more about how national defense programs are changing, how

history in order to try to understand the future.

Next Steps
I will be reading a lot more, exploring books in the library, articles in the National Review, New
York Times, The Guardian, and looking into the database to find scholarly journals and
publications on cyber security, cyber warfare, cyber terrorism, and more. Through more
research, I will begin to compile information and resources in a form of an annotated
bibliography, which will direct me in making an outline. Finally, I will start writing the draft.

Josh,
I enjoyed reading this proposal and am intrigued by your question of how cyber-warfare may
directly impact future wars across the globe. Within your introduction you also posed some
researchable question pertaining to your topic that may be very imporatnt in bolstering your final
draft. They included the following: How will the accessibility to technology impact the nature of

Commented [33]: look into this

Commented [34]: In order to try to understand what
may happen in the future.

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wars? Will more ordinary people become threats? Is the threat of cyber warfare overestimated or
underestimated? Will more technology-driven countries become more vulnerable? How are

Commented [35]: I hyphenated this, but I'm not sure

which is best.

national defense programs changing? I am very interested in discovering what you find while

Commented [36]: This is another good question. I

think it would be intriguing to examine what efforts are
being conducted to address this new threat. You may
want to check what the Department of Defense is
currently doing in order to combat this.

researching the last question. If cyber-warfare is, in fact, an immediate threat to our nation I
would like to see what is being done to combat this. As mentioned above, I recommend
searching publications by the Department of Defense to see if any plans are in place to begin
addressing the issue. Make sure as you research that you are looking for sources that relate
specifically to your topic. You mentioned that you will be reading from a variety of sources as
you continue your research. I would recommend examining your topic to find key words that you
can use while researching. This may help you narrow your search effort, and could help you if
you utilize the reference librarians at our library on campus. Keep up the great work, and I look
forward to seeing what you find about how cyber-warfare is affecting our current conflicts and
how it may affect those in the near future.
Sincerely,
Jake

Your topic proposal was very engaging and informative! Your introductory paragraph was strong
and puts the reader in the perspective of a bystander of cyber warfare. I like that you addressed
the common theme that you found in your previous research - it not only shows that you are an
active reader, but also sets the stage for the rest of your report. I would suggest either shortening
the two quotes in the last paragraph of your introduction, or only using one - having two large
quotes in a single paragraph takes away from the point you are trying to make with your topic.
You could even try to paraphrase one of the quotes! You made clear that your aim in further

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research is to review the past history in order to better understand the implications in future
scenarios. Overall, I enjoyed reading your topic proposal and look forward to further
developments you make with more research!
-Janessa

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Works Cited
Cavelty, Myriam Dunn. "Cyber-TerrorLooming Threat or Phantom Menace? The Framing of the US
Cyber-Threat Debate." Journal of Information Technology & Politics 4.1 (2008): 19-36. Taylor
Francis Online. Web.
Flowers, Angelyn, and Sherali Zeadally. "Cyberwar: The What, When, Why, and How." IEEE
Technology and Society Magazine (n.d.): n. pag. IEEE. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.
<http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6901336>.
Rohozinski, Rafal, and James P. Farwell. "Stuxnet and the Future of Cyber War." Survival 53.1 (2011):
23-40. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.
<https://www.cs.duke.edu/courses/common/compsci092/papers/cyberwar/stuxnet2.pdf>.
Tisdall, Simon. "Cyber-warfare 'is Growing Threat'" The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 03
Feb. 2010. Web. 29 Sept. 2016. <https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/feb/03/cyberwarfare-growing-threat>.
Will, George. "The Destructive Threat of Cyberwarfare." National Review. N.p., 14 Apr. 2016. Web.
28 Sept. 2016. <http://www.nationalreview.com/article/434026/cyberwar-war-future-nationalsecurity-threats>.

Commented [37]: Nice job with your works cited page.

This will come in handy later on.