1. Cyber Space: The New-Age Battlefield:
By: AdamKinder
Stuxnet was first identified in June 2010 when it was discovered
spreading beyond its intended target (an uranium enrichment facility in Natanz,
Iran). Symantec noted in August of 2010 that 60% of the infected computers
worldwide were in Iran. Kaspersky Lab concluded that the sophisticated attack
could only have been conducted “with nation-state support”. Over what has been
identified by security professionals as a 5 year spread Stuxnet was able to
damage an estimated total of 2000 programmable logic controllers in Iran’s
Natanz plant causing not only physical damage to Iran’s vital infrastructure but
also causing severe delays in their nuclear research programs.
Targeted attacks like this are more and more common. In some cases, these
targeted attacks are more prevalent and cause more damage than attacks by air,

2. land, or sea. Yet the cyber-space domain is not considered a battlefield by the
vast majority of states. It is because of attacks like Stuxnet and the potential for
further escalation of these attacks in cyber-space that all states should declare
cyber-space the newest battlefield domain. The urgency of this situation is at a
critical stage. Technology is ever changing and quickly evolving. If we wait any
longer to make this declaration and start creating and enforcing laws governing
the cyber-space domain, we will be forced to wait exponentially longer for those
laws to catch up with the current technological landscape.
In order to define what a domain is, the features of a domain, and the
historical trends for recognizing a new domain I would direct your attention
to "The Information Sphere Domain Increasing Understanding and
Cooperation" by Dr. Patrick D. Allen and Dennis P. Gilbert Jr.
To sum it up for the sake of making my point to those readers who didn’t feel
like clicking the link. The key features an environment needs in order to define
it as a new domain are as follows:
1. Unique capabilities are required to operate in that domain.
2. A domain is not fully encompassed by any other single domain.
3. A shared presence of friendly and opposing capabilities is possible.
4. Control can be exerted.
5. Provides opportunities for synergy.
6. Provides asymmetric opportunities.
Using this as a template and applying it to the cyber space is very simple:
1. Unique capabilities are required to operate in that domain: Cyber-space capabilities are
required to operate in the cyber-space realm. Cyber-space requires unique equipment and
personnel skills to function effectively, accomplish missions, and dominate any enemy
presence. These skills are unique from any of the other domains (air, sea, space, land); in
that, it takes a specialized set of skills in order to conduct operations in this domain. Hackers
require a completely separate skill set from that of pilots, sailors, soldiers or astronauts. As
computer systems and cyber-space evolves the skills of individuals working to both protect
and operate in this domain evolves with it.
2. A domain is not fully encompassed by any other single domain: Cyber-space is not fully
encompassed by any combination of land, sea, air, or space domains. Cyber-space has
capabilities and functions that are meaningful only in its environment.
3. A shared presence of friendly and opposing capabilities is possible: Nearly every
device in the world shares the internet currently. Where devices are not connected to the
internet; they are either connected to a wide area network or other devices attach to them
directly. Due to this shared presence across the domain, there is a constant struggle for
dominance and control in this domain.

3. 4. Control can be exerted: Control in terms of cyber-space can be exerted in many different
ways. Attackers can deny services to states, regions, etc. In addition, attacks can force one
state’s system to come under control of another state unbeknownst to the state being
attacked. Stuxnet was a perfect example of how Iran’s systems could be taken over by an
attacker unbeknownst to the state, and the devastating effect that could have.
5. Provides opportunities for synergy: Cyber-space is already being used in conjunction with
every other domain and vice versa. Gathering information from enemy systems can give
valuable Intel related to wartime operations, and likewise taking out key cyber-space targets
can disrupt the flow of cyber-space intelligence to an enemy state.
6. Provide asymmetric opportunities: Cyber-space capabilities can easily provide an
asymmetric threat against enemy capabilities in other domains. Again, I bring up Stuxnet;
while the attack was made within the cyber-space domain, it did physical damage to their
nuclear programs. Attacks like this can be developed to effect targeting systems, navigation
systems, and space programs just as they were used against Iran’s nuclear program.
When looking at this information it is very easy to see how easy it would
be to define cyber-space as a domain, as well as the newest battlefield. Some
people would argue that defining cyber-space, as a domain will lead to more
attacks and thus have a negative effect to cyber-space as it stands. To that, I say:
While true, there will most likely be an increase to cyber-attacks across the
board and those cyber-attacks will have more collateral damage than what we
are experiencing. We would see that increase regardless of whether or not cyber-
space has been identified as a domain or not. By identifying and defining cyber-
space as a domain where in it is possible to conduct war, we are taking the step
to acknowledge the possibility of and prepare for cyber-warfare. As targeted
attacks have already started, it is time that we declare cyber-space as the new-
age battlefield and start defining the legalities surrounding cyber-warfare before
we become the victims of it.