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Introduction Forum: General Assembly 1 Establishing international frameworks for cyber warfare and the ethical Issue: use of cyber technology Student Officer: Alice Loveri Position: Deputy President Chair Introduction Cyber security has been a growing issue since the creation of the internet, and with it a world of cyber warfare that is rapidly spreading. Technology is a fast-growing community which can be hardly controlled and the effects of the lack of control and what is happening behind the screens are starting to be seen. Cyber security is “the collection of tools, concepts, safeguards, guidelines and policies that can be used to protect the cybersphere and an organization or nation's assets” and is often underestimated because of its apparent simplicity. However, the importance of cyber security and the issue of cyber warfare should not be misconstrued, as anyone who specializes in technology could hack into a variety of different systems from easily personal accounts but easily banks, governments, confidential database etc. too. In the worst cases, cyber warfare could lead to complete destruction of countries’ systems. A country’s systems being hacked and held for ransom in exchange for monetary gain could destabilize the nation and create chaos in the frameworks and workings of the country. This ultimately opens up the private and public sectors as well as other countries’ secrets to immense vulnerabilities and dangers. Protecting the cybersphere against the threat of cyber warfare and cyber terrorism, has now become a major priority for the United Nations. As the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said “Information and communications technologies are part of daily life. They are helping to revolutionize health and education; transform the way we live and work and move us closer to our development goals. But cyber-attacks have the potential to destabilize on a global scale. Cyber-security must therefore be a matter of global concern.” Page 1 of 18 Definition of Key Terms Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions. The term may also be applied to any machine that exhibits traits associated with a human mind such as learning and problem-solving. Cyber Relating to or characteristic of the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual reality. Cyber Attack A cyber attack is an assault launched by cybercriminals using computers against a single or multiple computers or networks. A cyber attack can maliciously disable computers, steal data, or use a breached computer as a launch point for other attacks. Cyber Espionage Cyber espionage is the act of obtaining secrets and sensitive information without the permission and knowledge of the owner from individuals, competitors, rivals, groups, governments and enemies for personal, economic, political or military advantage using methods on the Internet, networks or individual computers through the use of proxy servers, cracking techniques and malicious software including Trojan horses and spyware. Cyber Warfare The use of computer technology to disrupt the activities of a state or organization, especially the deliberate attacking of information systems for strategic or military purposes. Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Computer emergency response teams (CERT) are expert groups that handle computer security incidents. In general, CERT aims to oppose the evolution of cyber-attacks, through the implementation of real-world solutions to these problems. They may be government officials or employees of major corporations. For example, the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Page 2 of 18 Hacktivism hacktivism is the act of hacking, or breaking into a computer system, for politically or socially motivated purposes. Hacktivists' targets include religious organizations, terrorists, drug dealers etc. An example of hacktivism is Anonymous’ attacks on the Minneapolis Police Department after George Floyd’s killing to support the Black Lives Matter Movement. Hardware Computer hardware refers to the physical parts of a computer and related devices. Internal hardware devices include motherboards, hard drives, and RAM. External hardware devices include monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, and scanners. Malware Malware, short for malicious software, is a blanket term for viruses, worms, trojans and other harmful computer programs hackers use to wreak destruction and gain access to sensitive information. Virus A computer virus is a type of malicious code or program written to alter the way a computer operates and is designed to spread from one computer to another. A virus operates by inserting or attaching itself to a legitimate program or document that supports macros in order to execute its code. Worm A computer worm is a type of malware that spreads copies of itself from computer to computer. A worm can replicate itself without any human interaction, and it does not need to attach itself to a software program in order to cause damage. Trojan A Trojan horse or Trojan is a type of malware that is often disguised as legitimate software. Trojans can be employed by cyber-thieves and hackers trying to gain access to users' systems. Once activated, Trojans can enable cyber-criminals to spy on you, steal your sensitive data, and gain backdoor access to your system Page 3 of 18 Ransomware Ransomware is a type of malware from cryptovirology that threatens to publish the victim's data or perpetually block access to it unless a ransom is paid. While some simple ransomware may lock the system so that it is not difficult for a knowledgeable person to reverse, more advanced malware uses a technique called cryptoviral extortion. Proxy Servers A proxy server is a computer system or router that functions as a relay between client and server. It helps prevent an attacker from invading a private network and is one of several tools used to build a firewall. Script A computer script is a list of commands that are interpreted or carried out by another program rather than by the computer processor. Scripts may be used to automate processes on a local computer or to generate Web pages. Software Software, instructions that tell a computer what to do. Software comprises the entire set of programs, procedures, and routines associated with the operation of a computer system. Page 4 of 18 Key Issues Cyber terrorism In the last 20 years, there has been lack of international attempts to identify cyberterrorist, even though it has been the biggest threat to international peace of the decade. Most individuals and organizations which have been labelled as cyberterrorist have not yet carried out any acts of terror within the cybersphere but only threatened, which doesn’t make them imminent threats. However, the organizations that better fit the definition of cyber terrorism are brushed aside and forgotten, finally only labeled as “Hacktivism”, even though their actions can have large scaled consequences, seen by Anonymous’ acts. Countries only consider Al Qaeda and other Salafist groups as the main groups which threaten cyber security only due to their size and aims, but it is in fact groups like Anonymous which pose a grave threat because of their emotional impact on the population. The UN group of governmental experts nd General Assembly ordered the GGE to produce a finally report to the 72 ​ session to study ​ further the existing threats to international cyber security and the application of International Law in cyberspace. However, the group never submitted a report to the Assembly due to grave disagreements on the applicability of International Humanitarian Law and the Article 51 of the UN Charter. The proposal of the application of Article 51 of the UN Charter in cyberspace created various oppositions and concerns. The opposition stated that the application of article 51 would lead to a forthcoming militarization of the cyber sphere. Views were shared by the delegates of Russia, China and Cuba. As the Cuban delegate stated, this development will “convert cyberspace into a theatre of military operations and [...] legitimize, in that context, unilateral punitive force actions, including the application of sanctions and even military action by States claiming to be victims of illicit uses of Information and Communication Technology.” The United Kingdom and the United States expressed profound disappointment towards the unwillingness of other nations to endorse the mandate of international legal issues and later opposed the stance. Discussing peaceful and diplomatic solutions to cyber warfare without commenting on the legal and military responses is ineffective and shows which countries are using the GGE for political gains, according to the United States. For the reason that no report was submitted by the fifth session of the GGE, the international community remains at an impasse and the conversation of the application of international law amongst other issues stays unsolved. As the GA has not yet called for the next meeting, the final result Page 5 of 18 was the dissolution of the international body with a clear order to study cyber security and propose solutions to emerging threats. Article 51 of the United Nations Charter Article 51 of the United Nations Charter states, “Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.” Due to its obvious ambiguity, the article has been misused on multiple cases for example in Afghanistan, Iraq and Vietnam.
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