Cyberwarfare and the Use of Force Giving Rise to the Right of Self-Defense

Cyberwarfare represents a novel weapon that has the potential to alter the way state and non-state actors conduct modern war. The unique nature of the threat and the ability for cyberwar practioners to inflict injury, death, and physical destruction via cyberspace strains traditional definitions of the use of force. In order to clearly delineate the rights of the parties involved, including the right to self-defense, the international community must come to some consensus on the meaning of cyberwarfare within the existing jus ad bellum paradigm. After examining the shortcomings inherent in classifying cyberattacks according to classical notions of kinetic warfare, this Note argues that international law should afford protection for states who initiate a good-faith response to a cyberattack, especially when the attack targets critical national infrastructure

Sino-Soviet Competition in the Yemens

The convergence of Chinese and Soviet interests in the Yemens began in the 1960s. This paper describes the buildup of influence of those states as background for a discussion of their actions and reactions during the internationally significant events of 1978 and 1979

What Constitutes an Act of War in Cyberspace

In December 2005 a new mission statement was released by the Air Force Leadership, to deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America and its global interests...to fly and fight in Air, Space and Cyberspace. (Wynne & Mosley, 2005) With the stand up of the AFCYBER command and the use of cyberspace to carry out our daily mission the U.S. needs to have a clear understanding of what war in cyberspace looks like and what the laws are governing war in cyberspace. This research and it\u27s resulting data analysis is intended to provide a better understanding of what the current laws of war are and how they translate to cyber war and the complexities that exist, along with recommendation on future revisions of the laws