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Law of Armed Conflict To Apply To Cyberwar

Posted by Soulskill on from the logic-bombs-vs-smart-bombs dept.

charter6 writes "Gen. Kevin Chilton, the head of STRATCOM, just declared that the Law of Armed Conflict will apply to cyberwar, and that the US won't rule out conventional (read: kinetic) responses to cyber-attacks. This means that we consider state-supported 'hackers' to be subject to the Geneva Conventions and Customary International Law, including the rules of proportionality and distinction (i.e. if we catch them, we can try them for war crimes). Incidentally, it also means we consider non-state cyber-attackers to be illegal enemy combatants, which means we can do all kinds of nasty stuff to them."

6 of 242 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Awesome by Jurily · · Score: 4, Funny

    Who knows what happens to enemy combatants.

    Cyber Guantanamo. Maybe they could swipe a small beach from Cyber Yugoslavia

  2. and the hacker thinks.... by eatvegetables · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Incidentally, it also means we consider non-state cyber-attackers to be illegal enemy combatants, which means we can do all kinds of nasty stuff to them."

    the hacker thinks to himself ...hmmmm, if I hack the military, they might

    1. stick me in a cold, dark, room.

    2. feed me old, stale food.

    3. keep me away from friends, family, and girls.

    4. keep me awake all night.

    ...(pause), ALRIGHT! Woohooo!. I wonder if I get to play WoW too!/p?

  3. Re:Awesome by netruner · · Score: 5, Funny

    Cyber Guantanamo - wouldn't that be like making them use AOL over a 9600 baud modem? Or would that be considered torture by the Geneva Convention?

    --



    DISCLAIMER: This post was not checked for speling and grammar- if you complain- you're a whiner
  4. With apologies to Martin Niemoller... by Tackhead · · Score: 5, Funny

    the US won't rule out conventional (read: kinetic) responses to cyber-attacks.

    So, with geolocation services, we could finally make all the jokes about ICBM addresses come true?

    Incidentally, it also means we consider non-state cyber-attackers to be illegal enemy combatants, which means we can do all kinds of nasty stuff to them."

    First they tortured the terrorists,
    And I felt kinda iffy about that,
    Even though it worked on TV.

    They they tortured Iraqi civilians,
    And I felt pretty embarassed,
    Even though I was safe at home in America.

    Then they tortured people they thought were suspicious,
    And I started to get scared,
    Even though I didn't hang out with anybody like that.

    Then they started torturing the spammers, the botnet herders, and the malware authors,
    And I'm sorry, Professor Niemoller,
    But that makes up for everything!

  5. Re:Awesome by Jurily · · Score: 4, Funny

    Cyber Guantanamo - wouldn't that be like making them use AOL over a 9600 baud modem? Or would that be considered torture by the Geneva Convention?

    Sir, you're replying to a comment submitted via GPRS on the Worcester-London train. I now officially hate you.

  6. Beware... by warlock · · Score: 4, Funny

    Launching an ICMP attack might get an ICBM response...

    Time to update the RFCs.