Virtual Attack Case Summary

A good case example to showcase US actions in virtual warfare took place in 2014 with the alleged hacks by North Korea on the US companies Sony Pictures. Although not committed on the US government directly, the 2014 Sony Hack represents an indirect virtual attack on US interests. This episode of virtual conflict is one of many that the US has played a part in. An offensive example showcasing the US’s alleged engagement in virtual attacks against Iranian Nuclear facilities with the military grade Stuxnet virus. Stuxnet had much more serious political implications, but the Sony Pictures Attack serves to exhibit how the US is limited in its available responses to certain virtual attacks, from the high threshold it sets based on its allegiance to international law. Other states that do not share the same perception take advantage
According to the Treasury Secretary, these sanctions were meant to defend US businesses and interests from “attempts to undermine our values or threaten the national security of the United States” . In a later statement the White House added: “We take seriously North Korea’s attack that aimed to create destructive financial effects on a US company and to threaten artists and other individuals with the goal of restricting their right to free expression.” While the response was limited, the economic sanctions were meant to send a signal to North Korea (and other potential cyber-attackers) that similar attacks would not be tolerated. It is important to note that at the same time of the implementation of additional sanctions, a series of mysterious Internet outages took place across North Korea. Many audiences believed this was another response to the virtual attack by the US, however, the US government refused to comment whether this was caused by any covert US retaliatory