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.