does international law cover cyber attacks?

The following piece was published 15 August 2013, SBS World News Australia Radio.

By Ildi Amon
Melbourne

Australia has welcomed a new United Nations report that says international law as well as the UN Charter applies to cyber warfare or attacks.

Australia has welcomed a new United Nations report that says international law as well as the UN Charter applies to cyber warfare or attacks. 

A group of government experts from 15 countries, chaired by Australia, was asked to study existing and potential threats in the use of information and communications technologies.

It highlighted the importance of confidence-building measures to promote trust between governments, to help reduce the risk of conflict in cyberspace.

Chairman of the international law department at the US Naval War College Mike Schmitt, was the director of the Tallinn Manual - a NATO-sponsored project which looked at what laws cover cyber conflicts.

He told Ildi Amon the UN report should help to address a vast range of existing and potential cyber threats.

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