Cyberconflict: Threats, Responses and the Role of
Law
Hosts
St. John’s
Center for International and Comparative Law
St. John’s
Journal of International and Comparative Law
In Cooperation With
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Allied Command
Transformation
The rise of cross-border computer hacking poses a growing challenge
to existing domestic and international regulations. For example,
when is computer hacking a crime, terrorist threat, or an act of
war? From the perspective of international law, cyberconflict
presents new and complicated questions about the laws of war: Can
computer attacks constitute a “use of force” or a threat to peace
and security? Do legal doctrines governing the use of weapons
extend to digital tools aimed at disrupting military and government
functions? Can and should domestic law distinguish between threats
to government infrastructure and threats to private businesses and
private data? In an environment where individual, independent
hackers can do the same damage as a government-sponsored
cyberattack, how can states craft legal tools, military strategies,
and intelligence operations that address national security concerns
and differentiate between cyberwarriors and amateur hackers acting
on their own? Are there unique European legal constraints that
impact effective defense to cybercrime, cyberespionage, and
cyberwar?
This symposium, hosted by St. John’s School of Law in cooperation
with NATO's Allied Command Tranformation, will bring together
experts from the armed forces and academia to consider these
cutting edge issues at the intersection of technology, law
enforcement, national security, and international law.
Symposium Themes Include:
Cyberwar: the Use of Force and the Law of Armed
Conflict
- Do current norms regarding the use of force effectively
translate to information and digital warfare?
- Can cyberattacks discriminate between targets and can
cyberwarfare conform to the International Humanitarian Law
principles of humanity, proportionality, distinction, and military
necessity?
- Can cyberattacks justify the use of armed force as a means of
self-defense?
- How do we assess the legality of cyberweaponry?
- Should the U.S. pursue a cyberwar treaty?
Regulating the Overlapping Threats of Cyberwar,
Cyberespionage, and Cybercrime
- Can the President authorize extended cyberattacks without
Congressional authorization?
- What legal framework applies when states defend against,
investigate, and prosecute non-state actors who engage in
cyberespionage or computer-based crime?
- Are federal cybercrime laws adequate to address
non-state-sponsored cyberattacks?
- How do we differentiate between cybercrime and
cyberwar?
Date
Friday, April 12, 2013
Time
9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Location
St. John’s
School of Law
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
Registration
There is no fee to attend the symposium, but registration is
required. Please complete and submit the
online registration form by Wednesday, April 10, 2013.
More Information
Jessica Pepe ‘13
Symposium Editor
St. John’s Journal of International and Comparative
Law
Jessica.Pepe10@stjohns.edu
(718) 990-3014