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Cyber-Vulnerability

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Prioritization Theory and Defensive Foreign Policy
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Abstract

Contemporary life depends on a cyber-world, but it lacks basic security. This chapter focuses on two sources of systemic vulnerability: cyber-warfare and the dangers of the Dark Web. First, cyber-war makes a state vulnerable to attack. Carrying out a cyber-attack is inexpensive and thus a seductive option for combative states. A massive cyber-attack may disrupt a state prior to invasion. The other source of concern is the Dark Web. Hidden from commonly used browsers and search engines, criminal and terrorist actors can freely operate with little government control. It can be argued this could be a tool for those struggling against tyranny, but it can also be made to work for those seeking to undermine legitimate governance and pursue a destructive lifestyle.

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Kassab, H.S. (2017). Cyber-Vulnerability. In: Prioritization Theory and Defensive Foreign Policy . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48018-3_7

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