Cyberwarfare Current Single Greatest Emerging Threat to National Security

Thursday 26 May 2011, Amsterdam

Cyberwarfare is the current single greatest emerging threat to national security. In 2010, nations worldwide placed cyberwar at the forefront of their defence planning, and provision of government cyber solutions is the single greatest growth market in the defence and security sector. Based on the new cyberwarfare market research, available on ASDReports.com, global spending in 2011 on cyberwarfare will reach $12.5bn.

Events in 2010 such as the discovery of the Stuxnet virus have left little doubt as to the potential implications of nations failing to develop adequate cyberwarfare capabilities. Cyberwarfare is no longer seen as an aside to conventional defence but as a fourth area of operations alongside air, land and sea. As cyberspace revolutionises the way nations see their defence, a whole new market for defence sales is rapidly growing. As many nations seek to reduce overall defence expenditures, understanding this complex and vibrant new cyberwarfare market will be vital for companies seeking to grow in the defence sector.

Recent defence budget cuts in Europe show that cyberwarfare is high on the agenda, overall defence budgets are cut but cyberwarfare investments have increased significantly.