Cyberwarfare and the challenges it poses to the international governance of armed conflict with particular reference to attribution, distinction, and self-defence.

Abstract

Cyberwarfare is an emerging form of conflict in the 21st Century. Whether it is considered a domain, a field of weaponry, or capable of being a completely new and separate type of conflict, the international governing community must find a way to protect citizens from its potential damage. International Law may be able to do so, but there are plot holes in existing international law governing armed conflicts in relation to cyber, particularly in regards to the notions of attributability, distinction, and self-defence. This paper uses two case studies, the 2008 Russo-Georgian War and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war to discuss the practical application of international law to cyberwarfare. This is an example of a contemporary form of conflict and how we must work to effectively acknowledge and address it.