Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Striking with Bits? The IDF and Cyber-Warfare

  • Chapter
Cybersecurity in Israel

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Cybersecurity ((BRIEFSCYBER))

Abstract

This chapter presents the developments of cybersecurity and cyber-warfare in the IDF.

Cyber-warfare may be strategically advantageous if it proves less deadly and less destructive than kinetic alternatives. Logically, cyber-warfare suits the Israeli grand strategy well: either as a force multiplier or as a precision strike, it continues the quality-over-quantity principle. We utilise foreign, unconfirmed claims to discuss Operation Orchard and Stuxnet, focusing on damage assessment, effectiveness, attribution, and deterrence. Reliance on cyberattacks in high-risk operations with strategic consequences attests to the maturity of cyber-warfare capabilities. However, military capacity is just one element of national cybersecurity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Both authors were this program’s TAU researchers from 2010 to 2012, working with Dr. Gabi Siboni of the INSS.

  2. 2.

    USCYBERCOM plans, coordinates, integrates, synchronizes, and conducts activities to direct the operations and defense of specified Department of Defense information networks; prepare to, and when directed, conduct full spectrum military cyberspace operations in order to enable actions in all domains, ensure US/Allied freedom of action in cyberspace and deny the same to our adversaries.

References

  • Abrams E (2013) Tested by Zion: the Bush administration and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Baram G (2013) The effect of cyberwar technologies on force buildup: the Israeli case. Mil Strateg Aff 5(1):23–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Barzashka I (2013) Are cyber-weapons effective? RUSI J 158(2):48–56. doi:10.1080/03071847.2013.787735

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ben-Israel I, Tabansky L (2011) An interdisciplinary look at security challenges in the information age. Mil Strateg Aff 3(3):21–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Ben-David A (2010) On the offensive. Aviat Week Space Technol 172(13):56–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Denning DE (2012) Stuxnet: what has changed? Futur Internet 4(3):672–687

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dipert RR (2013) Other-than-internet (OTI) cyberwarfare: challenges for ethics, law, and policy. J Mil Ethics 12(1):34–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farwell JP, Rohozinski R (2011) Stuxnet and the future of cyber war. Survival 53(1):23–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fulghum DA, Wall R, Butler A (2007) Israel shows electronic prowess. Aviat Week Space Technol 168:25

    Google Scholar 

  • IDF admits to using cyber space to attack enemies (2012, 06/03/2012) The Jerusalem post

    Google Scholar 

  • Katz Y (2012) IDF admits to using cyber space to attack enemies. The Jerusalem Post, 06/03/2012. Retrieved from http://www.jpost.com/Defense/IDF-admits-to-using-cyber-space-to-attack-enemies

  • Katz Y, Hendel Y (2012) Israel vs. Iran: the shadow war. Potomac, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Klimburg A (2011) Mobilising cyber power. Survival 53(1):41–60. doi:10.1080/00396338.2011.555595

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Langner R (2011) Stuxnet: dissecting a cyberwarfare weapon. Secur Priv IEEE 9(3):49–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liff AP (2012) Cyberwar: a new absolute weapon? The proliferation of cyberwarfare capabilities and interstate war. J Strateg Stud 35(3):401–428

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindsay JR (2013) Stuxnet and the limits of cyber warfare. Secur Stud 22(3):365–404. doi:10.1080/09636412.2013.816122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rid T (2011) Cyber war will not take place. J Strateg Stud 35:1–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Rid T (2013) Cyber war will not take place. Hurst, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger DE (2012) Confront and conceal: Obama’s secret wars and surprising use of American power. Crown, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Singer PW, Friedman A (2014) Cybersecurity and cyberwar: what everyone needs to know. Oxford University Press, New York/Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • The 2nd Annual Cyber Security International Conference Proceedings (2012) The Yuval Ne’eman workshop for science, technology and security: annual cyber security international conference Tel Aviv

    Google Scholar 

  • Zetter K (2014) Countdown to zero day: Stuxnet and the launch of the world’s first digital weapon. Crown, New York

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Blavatnik Interdisciplinary Cyber Research Center (ICRC), Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Lior Tabansky & Isaac Ben Israel

Authors
  1. Lior Tabansky
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Isaac Ben Israel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Tabansky, L., Ben Israel, I. (2015). Striking with Bits? The IDF and Cyber-Warfare. In: Cybersecurity in Israel. SpringerBriefs in Cybersecurity. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18986-4_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18986-4_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-18985-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-18986-4

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation