Assessing Global Commons as Threats

Introduction

The global community is increasingly experiencing environmental, social, economic, and political challenges emanating from rapidly transforming societies (Khazaei, 2021). Countries such as the US are more exposed than before to external aggression from non-allied states such as North Korea, which continue to pose a significant nuclear threat. With continued aggression from states opposed to US diplomatic policies, it is important to investigate the threat of cyberspace invasion (Jasper, 2012). The current paper will evaluate the greatest challenge facing the US and the international community.

Cybersecurity Challenge to Stability and Security

The US and its allies have invested vast resources to combat cyber insecurity as epitomized by cases of cyberterrorism that jeopardize international diplomacy and, by extension, global peace. Cyberspace insecurity is a problematic issue that has resulted in the instability of the international order due to its disruptive nature (Jasper, 2012). Putting into perspective the importance of cyber security to the US and the international community, Jasper noted that more than $3.3 trillion was transacted via e-commerce which relied on private cyber security networks (2012). Therefore, without coordination and cooperation between the US and the international communities, cyber intrusion will undermine national security through cyber espionage and e-commerce through cyberattacks.

Effects of Cyber Insecurity

According to Khazaei (2021), the US remains a soft target for cyberattacks from international adversaries who target federal institutions and corporate organizations. In furtherance, some cyber-attacks have been linked to Russia and China, which are at the forefront of several hacking activities in the US. Cyber security breaches such as the one conducted in the Office of Personnel Management was attributed to the Chinese government and led to data leak for more than 20 million federal employees. Alternatively, China has been accused of introducing malicious malware to steal data, thereby compromising the security and sovereignty of the US (Jasper, 2012). Consequently, cyberspace has become an increasingly insecure environment for governments and multinational corporations leading to a renewed focus on rethinking cyber security strategies.

Conclusion

The continually evolving cyberspace presents new and complicated security situations to the US, which may lead to adverse outcomes to the economy and the political establishment in instances where the country’s security is in jeopardy. Thus, to overcome the present uncertainties, the US and the international community must seek collaborative ventures in protecting the existing digital landscape and create more advanced infrastructures to mitigate the negative consequences of coordinated cyberattacks.

References

Jasper, S. (2012). Conflict and cooperation in the global commons. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.

Khazaei, J. (2021). Cyberattacks with limited network information leading to transmission line overflow in cyber-physical power systems. Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks, 100505.