Legality of low-intensity cyber operations under international law
Zakonitost nizkointenzivnih kibernetskih operacij po mednarodnem pravu

english

2017

volume 19, issue 3

cyber operation   international law   principle of non-intervention   principle of territorial sovereignty

Ministrstvo za obrambo RS
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

The purpose of this article is to discuss the international law regulation of low-intensity cyber operations. Although the international community agrees that international law governs the conduct of states in cyberspace, it is not entirely clear how the existing norms of international law apply in the cyber context. The majority of legal scholars, as well as national security experts and military strategists, have focused on cyber operations that reach the threshold of either armed attack or use of force; however, few cyber operations in the past have actually risen to that level. Cyber operations of lower intensity prevail in state cyber interactions. While analyzing the accordance of low-intensity cyber operations with the existing norms of international law, in particular with the principle of state sovereignty and non-intervention, the article leans on the findings of the International Group of Experts which developed the Tallinn Manual on International Law Applicable to Cyber Operations, and writings of other recognized legal scholars.

12.04.2023