The public posturing of governments is at odds with their populations, as research published today claims that 63% of UK, US and other Western nation's citizens think that cyberwarfare is an acceptable strategy, even in time of peace.
Sophos' mid-year 2010 security threat report says that 23% of respondents thought that hacking or installing malware on other country's computer systems is acceptable, with this percentile rising to 40% in a wartime situation.
Around 1 in 14 people, meanwhile, say that launching a denial of service attack against a foreign nation is allowed in peacetime, although this figure rose to 49% if a wartime scenario were involved.
Commenting on the figures, Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant with Sophos, said that it surprising that so many people seem to think that using the internet as a tool for spying, or even as a weapon, is acceptable practice.
"After all, by giving the green light to these kind of activities you'd also have to expect to be on the receiving end too. Maybe yours will be the next company probed by an overseas power?" he said.
According to Cluley, hacking and virus writing began as a hobbyist activity, often designed to prove how smart the programmer was, rather than to cause serious long-term harm.
"It evolved into organised criminal activity, with the lure of large amounts of money and now, in 2010, it could be argued that the third motivation is using malware and the internet to gain commercial, political and military advantage over others", he explained.
Sophos makes the interesting assertion that, against this backdrop, cybercrime has become an established part of online life, impacting businesses and private individuals alike.
The report notes that issues of privacy and the protection of sensitive data remain paramount as people share more and more - often without considering the potential value of the information they are making public.
The study adds that malware and spam continue to flood networks, with the combination of the two making a comeback in the recent upsurge in spammed emails bearing malicious links.
As a result, says Sophos, issues of trust have become central to business, as online trading becomes a more important part of the economy, whilst user faith in the safety of the web is eroded by every story of leaked data.