The Internet as a Weapon of the State

Seigfred P. Cortan

Ateneo de Naga University

 The Internet

The internet started as a way to share information between government researchers in the

1960s. During that time, computers were big and immobile, so researchers either had to go to the

site personally or send computer tapes through the postal system. Another factor that led to the

development of the internet was the launching of the Sputnik satellite by the Soviet Union. The

U.S. Defense Department wanted to create a way for information to be shared even after a nuclear

attack, hence, the establishment of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network)

which we now call the “internet”. Today, the internet has found more uses other than just

information exchanges. People can now talk to their friends from the other part of the world in real

time, stream and download files, order food and items without waiting in line, the internet has

practically become the core of the modern age.

A raw piece of metal is considered junk, harmless, but one cannot ignore it possible uses

once cultivated. Give it to a gun manufacturer, and that piece of metal becomes a rifle. The rifle

then becomes a dangerous weapon. This concept is no different from the case of the internet as a

global resource; some people turn it into something different, a weapon.

 Weaponizing the Internet

The invention of the internet was indeed a game changer; its modern applications have

made a plethora of uses, most of which has made life more comfortable and efficient. However,

this new technology also gave birth to a new breed of weapon and a new type of warfare: the

cyberweapons and the cyberwarfare waged by various countries both domestic and global.

Electronic Surveillance

In recent years, digital privacy has been one of the most significant issues of the modern

age. Technology companies and internet service providers have a means of tracking its devices

and monitor its activities, and there have been instances where the government has forced these

companies to hand over their data to monitor its citizens and combat potential threats to the state.

We have been fighting for liberty and freedom of speech, yet, companies and governments have

been threatening our privacy, and we are letting them have their way. Not everyone might have

incriminating data, but we still have sensitive information stored on the internet, and we have the

right to keep it private.

One of the prominent actors in electronic surveillance is the U.S., particularly the NSA

(National Security Agency). Secure Swiss Data, a Swiss Cybersecurity Company cited nine (9)

methods by which they monitor the online presence of individuals:

1) Phone Records

 The NSA records every domestic and international phone calls made within

the U.S., they know the caller’s number, which number he/she dialed, when

they made the call and the duration of the conversation.

2) Forced Cooperation of Internet Service Companies

 Top online services like Facebook, Google, and Twitter are forced to hand

over information regarding their clients to the NSA.

3) Hacking of Devices

 Computers and mobile devices have different sorts of backdoors that the

NSA created to hack into devices and IT systems anytime.

4) Vulnerability of Security Devices

 NSA has made a deal with manufacturers to make some sort of backdoors

that the NSA can exploit and access sensitive information.

5) Cell Towers Doing More Than Just Relay Calls

 Cell towers are necessary for making a phone call, sending a text message

and even connect you to the internet; this means that the NSA will want to

keep a record of where a person is. When a person makes a call, the

company knows its them. If the customer requests, the company can send

them a detailed bill containing all calls and texts made on the account and

the government has this same information because of the identifier in a

phone that informs the cell tower that the person is allowed to make a call.

6) Internet Tapping

 Even upon leaving the U.S., the person is still being tracked by the NSA.

There are massive fiber-optic cable under the sea and the NSA can work

with other intelligence agencies around the world to gather information

about any person.

 7) Hacking Foreign Companies

 The NSA can hack companies in other countries to get information about

the activities of a certain person. They check from credit card transactions,

emails and the likes to track down a person of interest.

8) Spending Habits are Tracked

 This is how the spending habits of criminals are tracked with ease. All credit

card transactions and bank transactions can be tracked by NSA, they even

know how get money from an account or freeze the account.

9) Email Isn’t Foolproof

 Free email services like Gmail and Yahoo! are one of those that have been

hacked recently, which means that someone out there has access to billions

of information that can be used in any way possible. The NSA can also

access email of private individuals but only if it is not encrypted. This means

that the technology of NSA is not yet advanced enough to decrypt emails.

The NSA is only one of many government agencies that focus on information and

counterintelligence purposes, it is joined by the United Kingdom’s GCHQ (Government

Communications Headquarters), Canada’s CSEC (Communications Security

Establishment Canada), Australia’s ASD (Australian Signals Directorate) and New

Zealand’s GCSB (Government Communications Security Bureau). Together they form the

Five Eyes Alliance which regularly cooperate on spy programs (Baxter, 2015).
References
A Brief History of the Internet. (n.d.). Retrieved from University System of Georgia:
https://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit07/internet07_02.phtml
Baxter, A. (2015, August 15). How the government can spy on you, and what you can do about
it. Retrieved from The Next Web: https://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/08/15/how-the-
government-can-spy-on-you-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/
Ivana. (2017, October 30). 9 Ways Your Government Is Spying on Your Internet Activity.
Retrieved from Secure Swiss Data: https://secureswissdata.com/9-ways-government-
spying-on-internet-activity/
Meyer, E. (2017, February 1). The Internet Isn’t Vulnerable – It’s a Weapon. Retrieved from
Tripwire: https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/security-data-protection/internet-
isnt-vulnerable-weapon/