--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In cyberwarfare, it is much harder to…" description: "\"In cyberwarfare, it is much harder to identify the attacker and, therefore, to know how to retaliate.\" — Toomas Hendrik Ilves" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/toomas-hendrik-ilves-10602_harder_in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-ide_925696.jpg" --- # In cyberwarfare, it is much harder to identify the… ![“In cyberwarfare, it is much harder to identify the attacker and, therefore, to know how to retaliate.” quote by Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/toomas-hendrik-ilves-10602_harder_in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-ide_925696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/toomas-hendrik-ilves-10602_harder_in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-ide_925696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/toomas-hendrik-ilves-10602_harder_in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-ide_925696.jpg) > “In cyberwarfare, it is much harder to identify the attacker and, therefore, to know how to retaliate.” [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Cyber attackers are hard to identify, making retaliation difficult. **In simple terms:** Hard to know who attacks online, so retaliation is tough. Key Takeaway Improve attribution before responding. Themes security attribution retaliation Mood analytical cautious Type policy philosophical When to use this quote - national defense - corporate security - incident response Key Concepts cyber warfare policy technology Questions to Reflect On - What non‑retaliatory defenses can be used? - How can international law address anonymous attacks? A Different Perspective Attribution may be impossible, leading to escalation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hacker/) ## Related quotes > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [Attention may sound dull, but it is an essential aspect of consciousness. In fact, it governs what it is that we turn out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-mcgilchrist/attention-may-sound-dull-but-it-is-an-essential-aspect-of/) [Iain McGilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-mcgilchrist/) > [It is therefore utterly false to say that Marx revokes the law of value as far as individual commodities are concerned, and maintains it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-hiferding/it-is-therefore-utterly-false-to-say-that-marx-revokes-the-law-of/) [Rudolf Hiferding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-hiferding/) > [Some other people are very lucky and always get in to the very best teams at the very best times and therefore go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leslie/some-other-people-are-very-lucky-and-always-get-in-to-the-very-best/) [David Leslie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leslie/) > [I'm obsessed with 'Thelma and Louise,' and therefore obsessed with Callie Khouri who wrote that movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-britton/i-m-obsessed-with-thelma-and-louise-and-therefore-obsessed-with/) [Connie Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-britton/) > [It has, therefore, been a favorite boast of the people of Wales and Cornwall, that the original British stock flourishes in its unmixed purity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bulfinch/it-has-therefore-been-a-favorite-boast-of-the-people-of-wales-and/) [Thomas Bulfinch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bulfinch/) > [In regard of the rich grace and wisdom of his love toward his people; for who sees not, but that it is a curse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-shepard/in-regard-of-the-rich-grace-and-wisdom-of-his-love-toward-his-people/) Thomas Shepard > [Therefore reinforcing a stereotype, therefore thinking that the entire Indian culture is just made of people that are against their children's decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parminder-nagra/therefore-reinforcing-a-stereotype-therefore-thinking-that-the-entire/) [Parminder Nagra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parminder-nagra/) > [“Everything on this earth belongs to God and therefore the more your dedication draws you closer to him, the more you will draw closer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/everything-on-this-earth-belongs-to-god-and-therefore-the-more-your/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I'm a complete addict of The 'X Factor,' so I can see why everyone gets so inspired. But there's a downside to celebrity: your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-quick/i-m-a-complete-addict-of-the-x-factor-so-i-can-see-why-everyone-gets/) [Diana Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-quick/) > [I'm a 'specist.' I hate the human race. Of course, therefore, I hate myself the most, because I am the least of the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-steele/i-m-a-specist-i-hate-the-human-race-of-course-therefore-i-hate-myself/) [Peter Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-steele/) > [Ambition devours gold and drinks blood and climbs so high by other men's heads, that at the length in the fall, it breaks its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-wentworth-1st-earl-of-strafford/ambition-devours-gold-and-drinks-blood-and-climbs-so-high-by-other/) Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford > [I live, therefore I make films. I make film, therefore I live. Life. Movement. I make home movies, therefore I live. I live, therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-mekas/i-live-therefore-i-make-films-i-make-film-therefore-i-live-life/) [Jonas Mekas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-mekas/) > [Therefore, our fight must primarily be a political mass struggle with revolutionary goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-slovo/therefore-our-fight-must-primarily-be-a-political-mass-struggle-with/) [Joe Slovo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-slovo/) > [It is by God's grace and provision that Hobby Lobby has endured. Therefore, we seek to honor God by operating the company in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-green/it-is-by-god-s-grace-and-provision-that-hobby-lobby-has-endured/) [David Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-green/) ## More by Toomas Hendrik Ilves > [Digital warfare, in the Clausewitz definition as 'the continuation of policy by other means,' reached Western public consciousness via my own country, Estonia, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/digital-warfare-in-the-clausewitz-definition-as-the-continuation-of/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [When Estonia reestablished its sovereignty after a half century of successive thuggish, totalitarian, foreign occupations by the Soviets, the Nazis, and then again the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/when-estonia-reestablished-its-sovereignty-after-a-half-century-of/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [Social media has become a primary factor in political campaigns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/social-media-has-become-a-primary-factor-in-political-campaigns/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [I'm not afraid of code. I mean, I understand how these things work. I thought that that was the one area where Estonia was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/i-m-not-afraid-of-code-i-mean-i-understand-how-these-things-work-i/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [People have actually figured out that Estonia is one of the few post-Communist countries that has a genuine image in people's minds as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/people-have-actually-figured-out-that-estonia-is-one-of-the-few-post/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [The domestic policy of any president, U.S. or otherwise, is his or her own concern, as long as democratic norms are followed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/the-domestic-policy-of-any-president-u-s-or-otherwise-is-his-or-her/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [As for the European far left, it has very little to do with Marxism-Leninism these days. It has more to do with anti-Semitism, racism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/as-for-the-european-far-left-it-has-very-little-to-do-with-marxism/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [Liberal democracies do not and often cannot respond in kind to cyberattacks on their own way of governance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/liberal-democracies-do-not-and-often-cannot-respond-in-kind-to/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [Big data knows and can deduce more about you than Big Brother ever could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/big-data-knows-and-can-deduce-more-about-you-than-big-brother-ever/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [Russia has had very aggressive military exercises. They've practiced mock nuclear attacks on Warsaw. Russian bombers practiced attacking strategic military targets in Sweden. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/russia-has-had-very-aggressive-military-exercises-they-ve-practiced/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [I realised that if we were not in the E.U., there were people in the E.U. who were also members of NATO that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/i-realised-that-if-we-were-not-in-the-e-u-there-were-people-in-the-e/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [The minute a collective alliance fails to live up to its agreement to collective defence, then from that moment on, everybody is on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/the-minute-a-collective-alliance-fails-to-live-up-to-its-agreement-to/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [I remember starting to read about the Soviet Union when I was eight years old; I think I was reading my father's 'New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/i-remember-starting-to-read-about-the-soviet-union-when-i-was-eight/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [Fake news is cheap to produce. Genuine journalism is expensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/fake-news-is-cheap-to-produce-genuine-journalism-is-expensive/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [The Russian Federation's practice of instant citizenship, whereby Russian passports are distributed willy-nilly to ethnic Russians abroad so they can be 'protected' in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/the-russian-federation-s-practice-of-instant-citizenship-whereby/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) [Explore all 64 Toomas Hendrik Ilves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) ## More Hacker quotes > [It's official: cyber terror is the new yellowcake uranium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-poulsen/it-s-official-cyber-terror-is-the-new-yellowcake-uranium/) Kevin Poulsen > [Digital warfare, in the Clausewitz definition as 'the continuation of policy by other means,' reached Western public consciousness via my own country, Estonia, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/digital-warfare-in-the-clausewitz-definition-as-the-continuation-of/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I was fascinated with the phone system and how it worked; I became a hacker to get better control over the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-was-fascinated-with-the-phone-system-and-how-it-worked-i-became-a/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [We've always had to worry about the electrical grid and nuclear facilities, and they remain a concern; but cyber-terrorism, you know, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-ve-always-had-to-worry-about-the-electrical-grid-and-nuclear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nine out of every 10 large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer intruders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/nine-out-of-every-10-large-corporations-and-government-agencies-have/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [If nothing else, the cyber attacks that occurred during the 2016 presidential election have laid bare the very real vulnerabilities that exist across our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/if-nothing-else-the-cyber-attacks-that-occurred-during-the-2016/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [There are two types of encryption: one that will prevent your sister from reading your diary and one that will prevent your government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/there-are-two-types-of-encryption-one-that-will-prevent-your-sister/) [Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/) > [It's true, I had hacked into a lot of companies, and took copies of the source code to analyze it for security bugs. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/it-s-true-i-had-hacked-into-a-lot-of-companies-and-took-copies-of-the/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I will then ask for a plan to immediately protect those vulnerabilities and then fix them.At the same time, we will invest heavily in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-will-then-ask-for-a-plan-to-immediately-protect-those/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Guys, I'm Not a Hacker. I Was Asked If I Wanted To Be An Admin And I Said Yes, So PleaseStop Saying I Am.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-i-m-not-a-hacker-i-was-asked-if-i-wanted-to-be-an-admin-and-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The U.S. has the most advanced cyber-weaponry on the planet, and t if you look at the U.S. from the perspective of the Chinese…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-glenny/the-u-s-has-the-most-advanced-cyber-weaponry-on-the-planet-and-t-if/) [Misha Glenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-glenny/) > [There is the possibility to be suddenly arrested for hacking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elbakyan/there-is-the-possibility-to-be-suddenly-arrested-for-hacking/) [Alexandra Elbakyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elbakyan/) > [Further, the next generation of terrorists will grow up in a digital world, with ever more powerful and easy-to-use hacking tools at their disposal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/further-the-next-generation-of-terrorists-will-grow-up-in-a-digital/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 662 Hacker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hacker/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In cyberwarfare, it is much harder to identify the attacker and, therefore, to know how to retaliate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Toomas Hendrik Ilves" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-identify-the-attacker-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hacker" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-identify-the-attacker-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/toomas-hendrik-ilves-10602_harder_in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-ide_925696.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/toomas-hendrik-ilves-10602_harder_in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-ide_925696.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7b/toomas-hendrik-ilves-10602_harder_in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-ide_925696.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In cyberwarfare, it is much harder to identify the attacker and, therefore, to know how to retaliate.” — Toomas Hendrik Ilves", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Toomas Hendrik Ilves", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In cyberwarfare, it is much harder...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-identify-the-attacker-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/in-cyberwarfare-it-is-much-harder-to-identify-the-attacker-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```