IRAN in Cyber Attacks - Essay Sample

Introduction

Iran has adopted the cyber-attack strategy to fight its enemies, especially if the rival has a powerful military system. The Iranian government has established its own cyber defense technologies and network infrastructure to secure and differentiate its systems. Consequently, the regime has developed cyber technical competence as a means of asymmetrical combat against the powerful United States military. Iran also has a reputation for using cyber threats to retaliate against the U.S and its allies. The paper will evaluate Iran’s cyber power and capabilities, why the nation uses cyber attacks on its enemies and recognize both its allies and enemies in the process. Additionally, the paper will discuss Iran’s objective of enacting cyber-attacks before concluding on the issue.

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Iran Cyber Power and Capabilities

Iran has adopted the cyber-attack strategy as an element of state strength. Its vast expertise in the undercover activity helps direct its policies and activities. It uses the cyber method as an intimidation and manipulation weapon and has developed a complex hierarchical framework to handle cyber conflicts ("few words about targeted cyber-attacks," 2014). Therefore, cyber-attacks on countries such as United States are deliberate as part of the country’s broader aggression plan. Iran considers cyber threats as one of the asymmetrical military technologies expected to confront the United States. Iran's creation of cyber technology is an answer to its limitations ("Iran seeks a Europe foothold for cyber-attacks later," 2020). As earlier mentioned, it is a strategy that the country use to fight or retaliate to its enemies that have strong and powerful military.

Why Does Iran Use Cyber-Attacks Against Its Enemies?

Iran has a comprehensive cyber-war policy and actively supports assaults on its rivals by state-sponsored entities such as the IRGC and non-state players within Iran. Iran decided to boost its cyber-war capabilities after the United States withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) and reinstated sanctions against Iran. The number of resources that Iran can use against the United States is limited and thus opts to use cyber-attacks as a retaliation element. Iran uses the exit of the United States from the (JCPOA) as a shield for cyber threats and as a means to compensate for the aggressive and military inequality and injustice between Iran and the United States ("U.S. warns of increased cyber-attacks by Iran," 2013). Iran has a defense budget influenced by world oil prices and restrictions imposed by the United States. These two factors caused inflation to be out of balance and Iran's economy to collapse.

Iran Cyberattacks Allies

Iran has been supported in different infrastructure investment and cooperation on intelligence and security in its cyber-attacks on the United States. Nations such as Russia and China have given the Iranian nation a broad reach regionally, giving the country the platform to launch a retaliation attack on United States allies and a strategy to pressure the U.S. to withdraw its troops in the nation. For instance, Iran agreed to a $400 billion investment deal with China, including infrastructure investment and collaboration on military and intelligence programs (Loukas, 2015). Iran has also been able to seek piracy of intellectual property by cyber operations to improve its strategic edge, with a particular emphasis on security and information technology.

What is Iran's goal of enacting cyber-attacks?

After years of sanctions levied by both the United Nations and the United States and its allied forces, Iran's economic system has suffered. The new phase of sanctions enforced due to the termination of the Joint Comprehensive Action Plan (JCPOA) nuclear agreement has been severe, leaving Iran's economy in a severe downturn. Cyberspace has also created a modern and lucrative environment for the Iranian military and security services to exploit. Space provides a low barrier to accession and makes it impossible to locate those responsibly. As a result, many of the latest cyber-attack operations related to Iran have attacked states, companies, and Nongovernmental organizations in the Middle East. These operations have various reasons: to obtain intelligence on organizations and persons of concern to Iranian intelligence agencies, achieve the economic and political benefit, and degrade or disable information systems or operating technologies in the most challenging situations.

Conclusion

Iran has a prolonged period used cyberattacks to retaliate against countries that consider enemies, such as the United States. Iran uses the cyberattack strategy to cover up for its limited military capabilities compared to its enemies that have strong and powerful military services. However, Iran's capabilities have been strengthened by its allies such as China and Russia in both financial and technological terms to enhance Iran's cyber-attacks fight against its enemies, especially the United States.

References

A few words about targeted cyber-attacks: (2014). Targeted Cyber Attacks, v-vi. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-800604-7.00020-6

Iran seeks a European foothold for cyber-attacks later. (, 2020). Emerald Expert Briefings. https://doi.org/10.1108/oxan-es250239

Loukas, G. (2015). Physical-cyber-attacks. Cyber-Physical Attacks, 221-253. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-801290-1.00007-2

The U.S. warns of increased cyber-attacks by Iran. (, 2013). Network Security, 2013(6), 19-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1353-4858(13)70072-2