A recently released Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) report suggests nuclear weapons and related systems are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks and implores nuclear-armed states to take measures to prevent attacks.
“Nuclear Weapons in the New CyberAge: A Report of the Cyber-Nuclear Weapons Study Group” determined cyberthreats to nuclear weapons and related systems — such as nuclear planning systems, early warning systems, communication systems and delivery systems — increase the risk of unauthorized use of a nuclear weapon, increase the risk of nuclear use as a result of false warnings, and could undermine confidence in the nuclear deterrent.
“The world’s most lethal weapons are vulnerable to stealthy attacks from stealthy enemies—attacks that could have catastrophic consequences,” Ernest J. Moniz, Sam Nunn, and Des Browne, study group co-chairs wrote in the report’s foreword. “Today, that fact remains the chilling reality. Cyber threats are expanding and evolving at a breathtaking rate and governments are not keeping pace. It is essential that the U.S. government and all nuclear-armed states catch up with this threat.”
The report’s recommendations include developing options to increase decision time to account for threats to early warning systems; establishing norms to restrict cyber weapons use against nuclear weapons systems; enhancing survivability and resilience of nuclear systems and command, control, and communications systems; and securing and diversifying critical systems.