Attribution and state responsibility in cyber warfare: a case study of the not Petya attack
Date
2020-11
Authors
WANDUGI, LEWIS KIIRU
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
This dissertation addresses attribution and the attaching of state responsibility in cyber-attacks using primarily a case study methodology. It seeks to address its three objectives: an analysis on the threshold in which cyber-operation could be considered a cyber-attack, look into the relevant issues on establishing state responsibility and the standards of proof; and a further analysis on the possible consequences for a state-attributed cyber-attack. The methodology used to conduct this research was desk research with the relevant materials being analysed to give relevant insight as well as a case study to put the discourse into context which will have a direct impact on this paper’s hypothesis.
Description
International law has regulated war and the limits to acceptable wartime conduct.1 These regulations, especially international customary law, speak to the more traditional means through which war takes place. In view of the existing law governing war and wartime conduct and technological developments in cyberspace, it is necessary to examine the extent to which these regulations are applicable to cyber warfare as one of the means of modern warfare.3 Questions on cyber-security are becoming common place evidence of the increasing awareness of the threat posed by cyber-attacks.