The Impact of Digital Technology on National Security

Security concerns are there in a civilized society. You may be living in a developed country or a developing country however, in the absence of proper security measures you look very vulnerable. Threat can emanate from any corner. You will not be able to name even a single country where security concerns are not there. Resources have brought development and due to development, we have accessed certain things which can be used for constructive purpose & destructive purpose.
Technology is being used by hackers, criminals, non state actors etc for creating havoc so in order to counter balance or nullify such disruptive elements, technologies of superior form is being used by the security agencies. The idea is to be a step ahead of enemies of national security.

How can a Country negate security threats ? Can we create multiple layers of security blankets in the society to protect people, infrastructure & the Country, as a whole? Don't you think digital technology is the way forward to protect the national interest of Countries in regards to their citizens ? This post will help us to understand the impact of digital technology on national security. So let's get going.

The capacity of a Country to mobilize it's Army, Navy & Air Force to secure it's border is called as National Security. The defense of a nation state is considered as national defense or security. It's an area of top most priority for every nation. It gets maximum attention and it leads to lot of expenditure, as lot of new equipment's needs to be procured for this purpose. Protection of a Country's asset, infrastructure and it's people strengthens the very identity of that country.

Any threat that hovers over a country and affect it's well - being, may be construed as a threat to that Country. It is the duty of every Country's Government to strengthen it's national security. Using digital tools to plug any loopholes that exist in the system, is an effective way of handling matters of national security.

First up, we need to know the major kinds of security that a Country needs to look into

1. Computer Security

This is also known as cyber security. Protecting a Country's computer devices like internet, computer networks, smartphones & computer etc is important or else it can paralyze the communication network system, causing immense financial loss to the country apart from dinting the image of the country.

2. Physical Security

Managing physical threats is the primary concern of national security. The capacity of a country to mobilize it's military while dealing with threat from terrorism or military aggression from hostile countries, comes under the purview of this form of security.

3. Infrastructure Security

To be able to secure & protect the infrastructure of a country like Airports, National Highways, Bridges, Oil refineries, Seaports, Dams, power plants etc qualifies as Infrastructure Security. Countries invest a lot in building capacities or infrastructure for development therefore, national assets of prominence needs to be protected.

National security has added new facets to it with the passage of time. Initially, it revolved around protecting the external boundary from an invasion by hostile forces, but at present it also engulfs security from non state actors like terrorist, food security, environmental security, political security etc. A country not only resort to it's military, economic and political power, but also uses it's diplomatic clout to strengthen it's security taking into account the security apparatus.

It is important to check out the various emerging and disruptive technologies while formulating policies of national security. Using drones guided by sensors for patrolling, can be regarded as one smart move for ensuring security to some extent. Technologies are being used extensively for strengthening the safety & security of various countries. Artificial intelligence algorithms helps the military commanders take a call quickly, in times of emergency. CCTV cameras are installed in high security zones to provide better security.

Intelligence agencies are creating the right infrastructure for collecting, sharing & disseminating information to avoid any untoward incident guided by technical support system. To keep a close watch on intrusion, we rely upon various forms of digital technologies & tools like firewall, anti virus, encryption software, intrusion detection systems etc. Even satellites & GPS systems are put to use for gathering information / data based on which necessary measures can be taken for security purposes.

For smart security, we need to fall back on technologies. Manually, it is not possible to manage the challenges of internal & external threats together. We live in a technology driven world. Technology is everywhere so we have to incorporate technology into security arrangements. Building capacities and expertise on technology - security bonding is another area which is getting plenty of attention from the authorities.

Conclusion

Every Country is aware of the challenges related to national security. This is a specific and common domain which gets utmost importance by each and every Country. Security cannot be compromised with. Desperate time demands desperate measures. New environments needs new approach. When a Country gets subjected to such challenges then using digital resources seems to be a viable option and is being widely used by almost every country. It acts as a deterrent with varying degrees of success however, in general it has been playing a major role in national security. The role of digital technology is commendable in securing the interest of a country in respect of it's territories, people, asset & system. Please feel free to share your opinions and feedback in the comment section.

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