Is a cyber attack an act of war? Analysts reported that while the Russian military was acting against the Georgian republic, Georgian websites were also under attack. Cyber warfare can exploit security gaps to take control of civilian infrastructure, such as power grids, as well as government websites and military command and control operations. It has long been known that cyber-weaponry could supplement (and sometimes replace) traditional military activities. But when does a cyber-attack itself constitute an act of war? (We all appreciate the notion of “war” as a historical concept is and continues to change.) Tactics such as urban warfare, bioterrorism and suicide bombers have caused grave concern, not only over government’s ability to deter violent and damaging non-traditional acts of war, but also how to respond when they occur. A big challenge in the cyber warfare world is identifying who did it. In 2007, Estonia asked NATO to come to its defense when a cyber attack disabled government and bank websites. Apparently in 2008 we didn’t need a cyber attack to bring down some of our financial institutions (sorry, couldn’t resist). Question—how does one respond to a cyber attack—with bullets or chips?
Insights at the intersection of digital and mobile technology, innovation and the law