Cyber law development and the United States Law of War Manual
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Authors
Watts, Sean
Issue Date
2016
Volume
Issue
Type
Book, Section
Language
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
This chapter examines the recently released United States Department of Defense (DoD) Law of War Manual to sample sovereign views on the current state of international law applicable to cyberspace operations and to assess State interest in development of new cyber-specific norms. The Manual’s treatment of cyber operations is a useful indication of the current state of international norm development in cyberspace and offers insights into likely future developments. Despite presenting the opportunity to do so, the Manual declines to resolve considerable and relatively long-standing legal questions concerning the operation of the law of war in cyberspace. Although the Manual describes the U.S. as committed to resolving unsettled and undeveloped legal issues in cyberspace, its authors decline to stake out meaningful positions with respect to these issues or to resolve them in any significant respect. The Manual, with minor exceptions, is not a significant contribution to the development or refinement of new cyber norms. It leaves the international legal community uncertain with respect to both a number of substantive legal issues in cyberspace as well as with respect to how, if at all, the U.S. intends to develop new international cyber law.
Description
Citation
Sean Watts, Cyber Law Development and the United States Law of War Manual, in International Cyber Norms: Legal, Policy & Industry Perspectives 49 (Anna-Maria Osula and Henry Rõigas eds., 2016).
Publisher
NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence