The protection of cyberspace, the information medium, has become a vital national interest because of its importance both to the economy and to military power. Some attackers tamper with networks to make money; others, to steal information; yet others, to be able to disrupt operations. Future wars are likely to be carried out, in part or perhaps entirely, in cyberspace. It might seem obvious that war in yberspace is like war in other media, but nothing would be more misleading. Cyberspace has its own laws; for instance, it is easy to hide identities and difficult to predict or even understand battle damage, and most attack methods lose their usefulness quickly with repeated use. Cyberwar is nothing so much as the manipulation of ambiguity. The author explores these topics in detail and uses the results to address such issues as the pros and cons of counterattack, the value of deterrence and vigilance, and other actions the United States, and the U.S. Air Force, can take to protect itself in the face of deliberate cyberattack. Book jacket.