Discuss opportunities and dangers of the so-calledcyber weapons.

Opportunities and Dangers of Cyber Weapons
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Cyber weapons represent one of the major tools that can be used in cyber warfare to offend enemies in the cyberspace. Cyber weapons are software used to bypass the cybersecurity technology of the targeted system. Governments are increasingly using cyber weapons as a means of sabotaging the systems of the enemy. They could be used to probe the enemy’s technological vulnerabilities as well as attacking the defense infrastructure of the enemy. With the continued advancements in technology as well as an increased sophistication of cyber-attacks, the rise of cyber weapons presents both opportunities and dangers in the cyber warfare.
Cyber weapons present an opportunity for small states who may have limited resources for military expenses to compete effectively in the cyberspace warfare. They also add military advantages and thus act as force multipliers. This is because cyber weapons may be used to supplement offensive weapons by destroying the defense infrastructure for the enemy. The increased use of cyber weapons would also minimize the cases of ground war where people are exposed to physical harm. The use of cyber weapons constitutes a bloodless form of warfare with no much of the physical destruction associated with ground war (Rid, & McBurney, 2012).
There are several dangers associated with the rise of cyber weapons which could negatively affect the cyberspace. One of the major concerns of cyber weapons is the difficulty to control or predict their diffusion.

Cyber weapons can easily cause collateral damage to other untargeted countries. Another danger posed by cyber weapons is the threat to privacy and security of citizens. Silent malware is associated with the massive destruction of the target system and stealing of sensible data. This could victimize innocent citizens who lack awareness of cyber warfare (Rid, & McBurney, 2012).
Reference
Rid, T., & McBurney, P. (2012). Cyber-weapons. The RUSI Journal, 157(1), 6-13.