Strategic Analysis of Capacity Building for the Cyber Security of the United States in Asia

Abstract

In recent years, cyber-attacks in virtual spaces have been rapidly increasing, and modern centralized states have proven to be incapable of effectively responding to cyber-attacks on their own. To resolve cyber issues, the United States has started cooperating with allied countries such as Japan and the ASEAN countries through Capacity Building (CB). Cyber-attacks include online and physical infrastructures, often referred to as electronic warfare and “hybrid wars.” In this paper, I show the importance of revisiting deterrence theory for cyber security issues. Deterrence theory derives from a traditional International Relations (IR) theory, realism, which emphasizes that states always act to maximize military power. However, in explaining the CB in cyberspace, key concepts and different theoretical frameworks which both scholars of liberalism and neoliberalism advocate, must be incorporated because not only military power, but also economic power has to be taken into account. This paper takes the United States as one case in which infrastructural support in cyberspace is observed. More specifically, I argue that in order for CB to happen, cooperation in cyberspaces must emerge, especially in the realm of economy, legislation, and military support to allied countries. This paper intends to determine the utilities of cyber CB. To do so, I collected data from more than 200 countries and inspected the correlations between cyber-attacks and CB using statistical software R. I also examines other factors such as Internet population, GDP growth rate, war expenditures, economy, military, and law regimes, to determine which are statistically significant in mitigating cyber-attacks.
 
 Keywords: cybersecurity, international relations, realism, liberalism, capacity building

ASEAN Consensus and Forming Cybersecurity Regulation in Southeast Asia

“…The main goal is to prevent attackers from exploiting the weakest chain. As a result, ASEAN must optimize its capacity-building program to ensure that the cyber maturity index among its member countries is not too disparate [58]. By adhering to the principle of non-intervention, capacity building can increase trust among member countries [26].…”

“…There is a flaw in this consensus formula: cyber security regulations will only be effective for countries that agree to them. As a result, ASEAN must encourage capacity-building programs to close the technological gap [58]. As a result, ASEAN can benefit from all types of policy formulation formulas without overriding or overemphasizing one of its member countries.…”

“…Cyber security issues can be elevated in security politics community at the regional forum level. The ASEAN consensus agreement must emphasize the principle of non-intervention, the use of technology for peaceful purposes, cyber security regulations that can be tailored to each country's needs, the development of technological capabilities, and mechanisms for peaceful cooperation in cyber conflict issues [63][26] [64][49] [58]. Similarly, at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN must continue to pay attention to the non-intervention norms that have become the organizational reference.…”

“…At the very least, ASEAN can concentrate on strengthening its member countries' technological capabilities in order to integrate the Southeast Asian region's economic interests [35] [12]. Thus, the consultations emphasized the importance of improving human resources in technology, cooperating in infrastructure development, and exchanging information in cyber security [66][67] [58]. Finally, the form of consensus on cyber security regulations that ASEAN seeks is one that is flexible and capable of strengthening the solidarity of each member country.…”