In 2009, the center hosted a conference in Tallinn, Estonia, with 20 international experts - almost exclusively from NATO countries - to seek a way to apply existing industrial-age international law to cyber warfare, resulting in the Tallinn Manual. In 2008, NATO established the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, originally proposed by Estonia following a growing awareness of the vulnerability of NATO allies and partners to cyber attack, particularly by Russia. cyber force would be a service branch and combatant with no directly applicable international law of warfare.Īfter years of study, NATO only applies pre-cyber era international law to cyber operations, both conducted by and directed against states. James Stavridis, the supreme allied commander for Europe and commander of NATO from 2009 to 2013, argued further for a separate service branch, a cyber force. The United States established Cyber Command in 2009 and the Navy stood up the 10th Fleet in 2010 to direct cyber operations and defense. and international leaders have recognized the military implications of the growing threat.

The road to those agreements was long, but necessary and it needs to be trod again - before civilians suffer the consequences of unrestricted cyber warfare.

military cyber warriors are operating without the protections and restrictions their kinetic brethren enjoy under the Geneva Conventions.

However, there is no clear international law that distinguishes between warfare, terrorism, crime or vandalism. Cyber warfare is a fact of the modern world.

Law of armed conflict cyber warfare