Cyberwarfare and Arms Control: Analyzing the SolarWinds Hack of 2020

Abstract

 

This research examines the implications of cyber warfare on international arms control, particularly in light of the SolarWinds hack, a pivotal event explaining the vulnerabilities in our increasingly digital world. Dependency on cyberspace has rendered states susceptible to emerging threats, while existing arms control treaties, relics of the Cold War, have failed to adapt to contemporary realities. Employing an ex post facto research design, this study utilizes secondary data analyzed through content analysis, grounded in Realism theory as the analytical framework. The findings reveal the multifaceted challenges posed by cyber warfare, including issues of attribution, pervasive mistrust among nation-states, economic repercussions, attacks on critical infrastructure, and intensified international rivalries. The SolarWinds hack serves as a case study that underscores the urgent need for modernizing arms control regimes to address these new dynamics. The study concludes that without proactive adaptations in international security frameworks, the risks associated with cyber warfare will continue to escalate, jeopardizing global stability and undermining cooperative efforts to ensure a secure future. This research calls for a re-evaluation of arms control in the context of cyber threats, emphasizing the necessity for innovative strategies to enhance resilience and promote trust among states.