Introduction We live in an age of cyber 'unpeace' [1] where modern mid-spectrum rivalry “fits neither the destructive criteria [and violence] of war nor the acceptable boundaries of peace.” [2] The blurring of cyber boundaries brought about by asymmetry allows both states and nation-states to attain international economic and geopolitical objectives without engaging in traditional kinetic warfare. This new reality compels holistic and cohesive thinking from policymakers across the world on how to exploit opportunities and minimise threats posed by the pervading uncertainty of cyber ‘unpeace’. International cyber operations, frequently undertaken by states, state-backed actors, or independent non-state actors, provide asymmetric advantages to entities that may not boast traditional military or technological power. The many challenges of effectively attributing attacks to a perpetrator or group compounds geopolitical uncertainty.
Authors
Related Organizations
- Attribution
- Arindrajit Basu, “International Cyber Incidents: On the Question of Public Attribution,” ORF Issue Brief No. 748 , November 2024, Observer Research Foundation.
- Pages
- 20
- Published in
- India
Table of Contents
- Introduction Introduction 3
- Introduction Introduction 4
- The Cyber Threat The Cyber Threat 5
- Landscape in India Landscape in India 5
- State Practice 6
- Perspectives of States Non-State Actors and Perspectives of States Non-State Actors and 6
- Global Forums on Public Cyber Attribution Global Forums on Public Cyber Attribution 6
- International Legal Standards 7
- Global Forums 7
- Perspectives of States Non-State Actors and Perspectives of States Non-State Actors and 7
- Global Forums on Public Cyber Attribution Global Forums on Public Cyber Attribution 7
- Private Sector Attribution 8
- Perspectives of States Non-State Actors and Perspectives of States Non-State Actors and 8
- Global Forums on Public Cyber Attribution Global Forums on Public Cyber Attribution 8
- Deterrence 9
- Causing friction 9
- Building resilience across the ecosystem 9
- A Decision-Making A Decision-Making 9
- Framework Framework 9
- Norm-building 10
- Community and international cooperation 10
- Domestic criminal law enforcement 10
- Institutional Architecture and Decision-Making Framework on Cyber Attribution 10
- A Decision-Making A Decision-Making 10
- Framework Framework 10
- Option A Criminal Indictment 11
- Option B International legal attribution 11
- A Decision-Making A Decision-Making 11
- Framework Framework 11
- Option C Political attribution 12
- Option D Do nothing and rely on third-party attribution 12
- A Decision-Making A Decision-Making 12
- Framework Framework 12
- A Decision-Making A Decision-Making 13
- Framework Framework 13
- Arindrajit Basu 14
- Conclusion Conclusion 14
- Endnotes Endnotes 15
- Endnotes Endnotes 16
- Endnotes Endnotes 17
- Endnotes Endnotes 18
- Endnotes Endnotes 19
