A Critical Analysis Of The Applicability Of International Humanitarian Law In The Context Of Cyber Warfare

Contents

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................... 1

1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT ........................................................................................................................ 4

1. 4 OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................................ 4

1.5 LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................................... 5

1.6 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................................. 6

1.7 CHAPTER SYNOPSIS ............................................................................................................................. 6

CHAPTER TWO: THE CONCEPT OF CYBER WARFARE .................................................................................... 8

2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 8

2.2 CYBERSPACE ........................................................................................................................................ 8

2.3 COMPUTER NETWORKS ATTACK (or CNA) .......................................................................................... 9

2.4 CYBER-ATTACK .................................................................................................................................... 9

2.5 CYBER OPERATION ............................................................................................................................ 10

2.6 CYBER WARFARE ............................................................................................................................... 10

2.7 EXAMPLES OF CYBER-ATTACKS ......................................................................................................... 11

The Estonian Attack in 2007 ............................................................................................................... 11

The Georgian Attack 2008................................................................................................................... 12

Stuxnet ................................................................................................................................................ 12

Red October ........................................................................................................................................ 13

2.8 UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF CYBER WARFARE ............................................................................. 13

2.9 CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................................... 15

CHAPTER THREE: CYBER WARFARE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW ................................................................ 16

3.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 16

3.2 APPLICABILITY OF THE EXISTING RULES ............................................................................................ 16

3.3. PROHIBITION OF THE USE OF FORCE UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW .............................................. 17

3.3.1 NOTION OF 'FORCE' ................................................................................................................... 17

3.3.2 CYBER OPERATION AS USES OF FORCE ...................................................................................... 17

3.3.3 CYBER ASSISTANCE AS FORCE .................................................................................................... 19

3.3.4 ECONOMIC OR POLITICAL FORCE .............................................................................................. 19

3.4 CYBER OPERATION AS ARMED ATTACKS AND THE RIGHT TO SELF-DEFENCE .................................. 20