Coulomb’s law describes the force between electric charges. Like charges repel and opposite charges attract, and the force grows stronger as charges get closer, following an inverse-square relationship with distance. In practice, that means small changes in spacing can cause large changes in electrostatic force.
In cyber security, this matters anywhere hardware is exposed to static electricity, capacitive sensing, or electrostatic discharge. Attackers and testers may use charge buildup, proximity effects, or deliberate static events to stress components, probe sensors, or trigger faults in poorly protected devices. Defenders rely on grounding, shielding, spacing, and ESD controls to keep charge from damaging equipment or creating unwanted behavior. Understanding Coulomb’s law helps explain why physical conditions can influence the security and reliability of electronic systems.