The Law of Cyber Warfare:

Can the Current Legal Regime Hack It?

Thursday, November 8, 2012

American University

Washington College of Law

Although cross-border attacks on computers and information systems do not involve a physical invasion of sovereign space, incursions such as the Stuxnet virus increasingly seem to serve a similar purpose.  The symposium will examine whether cross-border cyber attacks qualify as acts of war under international law, whether the difficulties of distinguishing civilian and military targets require a special legal regime to govern cyber warfare, and how legislation currently being considered by the U.S. Congress will affect the international context.  Are the current legal conventions sufficient to regulate this new kind of warfare?  If not, then how should international law account for changing technological capacities?

More Details and List of Speakers to Come.