NEWS: Recent conflicts involving: U.S. , Israel, Iran= show that countries are increasingly using: Cyber attacks along with traditional military action.
Cyber warfare
• Using computers, hacking, networks or digital systems to attack another country.
• Cyber-attacks can target: Communication systems, Defence systems, Banking systems, News websites
• A hacker group called: Handala Hack Team= claimed responsibility for cyber attacks on certain entities.
International Law and Cyber Warfare
• Article 2(4) of the UN Charter àCountries should not use force against: Sovereignty, Territorial integrity of another country.
Challenges in Cyber Warfare
• Attribution Problem: Very difficult to identifyà Who actually carried out the cyber attack.
• Lack of Legal Enforcement: Even if cyber attack occursà International courts rarely handle such cases.
• Cyber evidence includes: Technical data, Digital trails, Classified intelligence
• Hard to prove: Who attacked
Cybercrime vs Cyber Warfare
Cybercrime
• Done mainly by: Criminals, Hackers for money or illegal gain.
Cyber Warfare
• Often linked with: States, Geopolitical conflicts
International Agreements
• Budapest Convention on CybercrimeàInternational treaty against cybercrime.
• UN Convention Against CybercrimeàUN effort to improve cooperation against cybercrime.
• Limitation
These agreements mainly address: Cybercrime
NOT fully: State responsibility in cyber warfare
Important for India
• India now depends heavily on: Digital banking, energy systems, governance platforms, online infrastructure
Risks for India
• India faces: Greater cyber threats, Attacks on critical infrastructure
What India Needs
• Strong cyber security
• International cooperation
• Better cyber laws
• Participation in global cyber norms
Conclusion
• Cyber warfare is growing rapidly.
• Existing international laws are struggling to handle cyber conflicts effectively.
• Lack of: Attribution, Evidence, Legal enforcement makes accountability difficult.