Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy
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Browsing Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy by Subject "cyber-threats"
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Item Breaking the cybersecurity dilemma: Balancing national security and human security in cyberspace(University of Ghana, 2015-04-17) Otoo, C.In today's world the ubiquity of cyberspace brings cyber-threats and the measures to counter them to the apex of the modern security dialogue. In the post-Snowden era, national approaches to cybersecurity seem to be sparking a 'digital arms race' rather than fostering more security. Hence cyberspace presents a dilemma of epic proportions which challenges the traditional notions of state-centric security within the arena of international relations. The reason for this is the supranational architecture of cyberspace which makes it difficult for states to unilaterally securitize existing and emergent cyber-threats. It would be shown that when the individual is presented as a threat actor rather than the referent object of security, cyber-insecurity arises. Since cyberspace is a confluence of the human and electromagnetic operating environments, colonized by a multiplicity of actors, the security actions of states affect both the system and the actors within it. Furthermore, the intent of securing cyberspace through its militarization and balkanization would engender anarchy within this land of binary code, along with its unintended effect of increasing tensions within the comity of nations. One of the conundrums in cyberspace is that its' use as an operational domain for surveillance and cyber-warfare increases the threat exposure of citizens, the very people the state is sworn to protect. This paper interrogates the cybersecurity dilemma and explores the utility of the application of human security to cyberspace