The United States military has recently announced the creation of a new “cyber command”, which is intended to defend US interests. It should also give the US military the power to launch cyber offensives and wage war on the digital battlefield, in a bid to defend against the increasing threats against military computer networks.

This latest cyber command center will start operating in October and will take approximately one year to become fully operational. These announcements come at a time when cyber dominance has been viewed as an essential part of military strategy for the future, as the government has envisioned that it is just as important to have superiority on the digital battlefield as it is any other.

However, while the US military is embracing cyber warfare, many privacy advocates are concerned about the effects that such an offensive may have on privacy and other civil liberties. There is also a growing concern that this may lead to the militarization of cyberspace.

The United States has over seven million computers in its networks and it faces a real threat, as revealed by many recent penetrations of its networks. As a result, President Obama has announced that cyber security is to remain a top priority and revealed plans to create a national cyber defense coordinator to help advise and guide on issues.

By creating a cyber-deterrent, the government hopes to protect the USA against attackers from China, Russia and other rogue nations, which have built up a significant infrastructure to commit criminal cyber attacks against the United States and the western world.

At the same time, the White house promised to respect and safeguard privacy rights. However, after recent revelations regarding unlawful intercepts of domestic e-mail by the National Security Agency, it still remains uncertain how they will safeguard privacy and ensure that civil rights are maintained.