Vulnerabilities in 3D printing could be exploited for Cyber-Physical attacks and Cyber Warfare

3D printing or additive manufacturing is ongoing revolution in manufacturing with its potential to fabricate any complex object and is being utilized from aerospace components to human organs, textiles, metals, buildings and even food. Additive manufacturing, is defined by ASTM International as the process of joining materials together, layer by layer, based on three-dimensional model data.

3D printing can make military equipment faster   accelerating product development and with less cost than other processes. It increases design possibilities, enhances the speed of innovation, and offers an alternative for creating shapes closer to what an engineer might need, with fewer constraints. 3D printing is revolutionizing defence by printing small components to full drones on naval vessels, replacement parts for fighter aircrafts to printing ammunition.

Substantial improvements have been made in 3D printing with the fabrication of 3D objects from metals, ceramics, plastics, and even multi-material capabilities. The first gun was printed back in 2013 (Walther, 2015; Greenberg, 2013); by May 2017, researchers at the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development, and Engineering Center had successfully designed, printed, and fired a grenade launcher (Hodgkins, 2017).

However, the proliferation of 3D printers means that anyone with 3D designs could be able to manufacture sophisticated weapons.  Criminals and terrorists could now make their own undetectable firearms in private, using weapon’s blueprints online or hacking them.

China is alleged to be carrying out widespread efforts to acquire U.S. military technology and classified information and the trade secrets of U.S. companies. The Chinese government is accused of stealing trade secrets and technology, often from companies in the United States, to help support its long-term military and commercial development. China has been accused of using a number of methods to obtain U.S. technology, including espionage, exploitation of commercial entities and a network of scientific, academic and business contacts. The proliferation of 3D printers and 3D designs would provide new opportunity to China to steal designs and then reverse engineer the technology or to make rapid countermeasures to it.