Network warfare refers to the use of computer networks as both a domain and an instrument of conflict. It encompasses offensive operations (intrusion, disruption, denial, manipulation, or destruction of data and systems), defensive operations (protection of one's own networks), and exploitation (intelligence collection through network access). The term is closely related to, and often used interchangeably with, computer network operations (CNO) and components of cyber warfare.
In U.S. doctrine, the concept was historically broken into computer network attack (CNA), computer network defense (CND), and computer network exploitation (CNE). These categories appeared in Joint Publication 3-13 (Information Operations) and were later consolidated under the umbrella of cyberspace operations with the establishment of U.S. Cyber Command in 2010. China's People's Liberation Army uses the parallel concept of wangluo zhan (网络战), integrated with electronic warfare and psychological operations under the broader "informationized warfare" doctrine. Russian military thought embeds similar activities within information confrontation (информационное противоборство), which treats technical and cognitive effects as a continuum.
Network warfare is distinct from kinetic warfare because effects can be reversible, attribution is difficult, and operations can be conducted below the threshold of armed conflict. This raises unresolved questions under international law. The Tallinn Manual (2.0 published in 2017), produced by experts convened by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, attempts to apply existing jus ad bellum and jus in bello principles to cyber operations, though it is non-binding.
Notable incidents commonly cited in the literature include the Stuxnet worm targeting Iranian centrifuges at Natanz (discovered 2010), the NotPetya attack of June 2017 attributed by several governments to Russian military intelligence, and sustained intrusion campaigns against critical infrastructure. For MUN and policy researchers, network warfare typically arises in committees addressing disarmament, ICT security, sovereignty in cyberspace, and the work of the UN Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) and the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on ICTs.
Example
In June 2017, the NotPetya malware—attributed by the United States, United Kingdom, and several allies to Russia's GRU—spread from Ukrainian accounting software to disrupt global shipping firm Maersk and pharmaceutical company Merck, illustrating how network warfare can produce cross-border economic damage.
Frequently asked questions
Network warfare specifically concerns operations on computer networks (attack, defense, exploitation), while cyber warfare is a broader term that can also include effects on industrial control systems, embedded devices, and the cognitive layer of information operations.
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