Cyber Warfare in Light of the Rules of International Humanitarian Law

Abstract

   The threat of cyber warfare looms greater than ever. Today, technological advances and the growing digital infrastructure link entire societies with a wheel of complex and interconnected systems, and the Internet has become the central nervous system in society.

         Information and communication technology plays its role, be it in the field of work, learning or entertainment. The Internet enables the dissemination of knowledge and information in an unprecedented way in world history. The power of social entanglement connects and affects populations in ways that are completely separate from governments, and in a way that these governments never expect. It has enabled individual empowerment, self-expansion and the diffusion of unfamiliar ideas through a mechanism that is mostly unaffected by borders or diplomatic or political considerations. Today, anyone can quickly influence perceptions, values, ideas and biases through their ability to create and distribute content on a global scaleBut the prevalence of the Internet has also given birth to criminal activities and created new ways of gathering intelligence and conflict information. Weaknesses in operating systems, software, and security situations open the door to the possibility of actions that threaten basic services provided to the civilian population, facilitate economic espionage, and affect government operations. There are viruses, worms, distributed denial of service attacks, property theft, and spam and fraud, all of which undermine the credibility of ICTs and the ability of societies and economies to operate.