Cyber Capabilities and National Power Report by IISS
Source : Indian Express
Governance and Cyber related

Content for Cyber Capabilities and National Power Report by IISS Article

1. Background of the Report
2. Seven Capabilities in the Report
3. Findings in the report
4. India in the Report

Why in News ?

International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) release report called

• The result of two years of study by IISS researchers report provides a major new qualitative assessment of 15 countries’ cyber power.
• Also a new qualitative framework for understanding how to rank global state cyber capacity.

Key Facts

• Its intention to develop a methodology for assessing the cyber capabilities of states and how they contribute to national power.
• Information can help governments and major corporations when calculating strategic risk and deciding on strategic investment.
• The report provide qualitative analyses the wider cyber ecosystem for each country, including how it intersects with international security, economic competition and military affairs.
• Background for Study
  • Intensifying international confrontation in cyberspace.
  • China’s new military strategy declared that ‘outer space and cyber space have become new commanding heights of strategic competition.
  • US claim of Russian government involvement in US presidential election.
  • Technology war between China and US malign actions in cyberspace.
  • China referred to the US as the ‘champion’ of cyber attacks.
  • G7 foreign ministers’ meeting called on both Russia and China to bring their cyber activities into line with international norms.
  • All theses instances leads to the study.
• The countries covered in this report are
  • US, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia (four of the Five Eyes intelligence allies);
  • France and Israel (the two most cyber capable partners of the Five Eyes states);
  • Japan (also an ally of the Five Eyes states, but less capable in the security dimensions of cyberspace, despite its formidable economic power);
  • China, Russia, Iran and North Korea (the principal states posing a cyber threat to Western interests);
  • India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam (four countries at earlier stages in their cyber-power development);
• Report assess each country’s capabilities in seven categories
  1. Strategy and doctrine
  2. Governance, command and control
  3. Core cyber-intelligence capability
  4. Cyber empowerment and dependence
  5. Cyber security and resilience
  6. Global leadership in cyberspace affairs
  7. Offensive cyber capability

Findings of the Cyber Capabilities and National Power Report

• The US is the only country in the first tier for its world-leading strengths across all categories.
• In the second tier with world-leading strengths in some categories are: Australia, Canada, China, France, Israel, Russia and the United Kingdom.
• India has been put in the third tier meant for countries that have strengths or potential strengths in some of these categories but significant weaknesses in others. Also in this category are: Japan, Iran, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and North Korea.

• US is the only country with a heavy global footprint in both civil and military uses of cyberspace.
• Seriously threatened by China and Russia in that domain.
• US now taking a robust and urgent approach to extending its capabilities for cyber operations.
• At least six European or Asian countries command leadership positions in certain aspects of the Information and Communications Technology sector China close to US.
  • China’s cyber power as clearly inferior to that of the US.
  • Also below the combined cyber power of the US network of alliances.
• US capability for offensive cyber operations is probably more developed than that of any other country.
• China has its ambitious goals for the indigenous manufacture of the core internet technologies aiming to become a world leader in such technologies by 2030.
• Israel has a well-developed capacity for offensive cyber operations after use of the Stuxnet worm against Iran, between 2008 and 2010, and an attack against an Iranian port in 2020.
• Russia is highly dependent on foreign ICT corporations and has a less impressive digital economy than, for example, the United Kingdom or France.
• UK’s key weaknesses are shortfalls in its skilled cyber workforce and that it cannot afford to invest in cyber capabilities on the same scale as the United States or China.
• India in the Report
  • The military confrontation with China in the disputed Ladakh border area in June 2020 followed by a sharp increase in Chinese activity against Indian networks
  • It has heightened Indian concerns about cyber security, not least in systems supplied by China.
  • India has made only “modest progress” in developing its policy and doctrine for cyberspace security.
  • India has some cyber-intelligence and offensive cyber capabilities but they are regionally focused, principally on Pakistan.
  • India is currently aiming to compensate for its weaknesses by building new capability with the help of key international partners including the US, the UK and France.
  • The private sector has moved more quickly than the government in promoting national cyber security.
  • Progressing to the second tier is by harnessing its great digital-industrial potential and adopting a whole-of-society approach to improving its cyber security.

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