The logic layer is the central nervous system of cyberspace. It is responsible for routing data packages to their final destinations, primarily via domain name systems (DNS), Internet protocols, browsers, Web sites, and software, all of which rely on the aforementioned fiber optic cables and physical foundations. Targeted cyber attacks can manipulate the logic layer of cyberspace in a number of ways to cause it to malfunction or shut down completely in order to inhibit the flow of data.

The logic layer of cyberspace can be attacked and altered in a variety of ways through cyber attacks. Many of the central elements of the logic layer are under attack every day as malicious actors attempt to break the system. And unlike a physical attack on infrastructure, which would require time, coordination, and access in order to damage enough elements to successfully cut a state off from cyberspace, well-designed cyber attacks at the logic layer can be designed to hit multiple key nodes at once. Thus, while technologically it is much more difficult to attack the key nodes of the logic layer, there is a synergy present that could make a single, advanced cyber attack more successful at creating an A2/AD environment than many coordinated attacks on the physical infrastructure.

There are some safeguards in place to diminish the risk of cyber attacks that target these systems, including redundancies and the ability to reroute traffic through an uncompromised server. For example, when all thirteen of the Internet root servers were attacked simultaneously in 2002, several servers were able to withstand the attack and continued to operate, thus keeping the Internet functioning despite the fact that several servers were temporarily shut down by the attack. Despite this attack over a decade ago, vulnerabilities still exist and can be exploited. Chief among them are the operating systems that manage the wavelengths of the fiber optic cables as they come ashore at landing sites. Using these systems, hackers can manipulate the wavelengths to alter or remove some or all of the data traffic on that cable, potentially without the operator's knowledge.