In an unprecedented move, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has publicised guiding principles for civilian hackers engaged in conflicts. The proliferation of these patriotic cyber-gangs has escalated notably since tensions boiled over in Ukraine.
Among the eight rules stipulated, the ICRC expressly forbids assaults on hospitals, the propagation of uncontrollable hacking tools, and activities that sow terror among the civilian population. However, certain cyber-gangs have informed the press of their intention to discard these guidelines.
The ICRC, having been established to regulate the conventions of warfare, has been disseminating these new guidelines to hacker groups heavily invested in the Ukraine war. The organisation is also urging hackers to be mindful that their activities can imperil lives, potentially turning them into legitimate military targets.
Over the last decade, we have observed a significant rise in patriotic hacking. In 2013, pro-Syrian cyber-attacks targeted Western media, showcasing a disquieting trend that has now globalised due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, according to ICRC’s legal advisor, Dr. Tilman Rodenhäuser.
Dr. Rodenhäuser notes some experts dismiss civilian hacking as ‘cyber-vigilantism’, highlighting their lack of technological sophistication and their inability to cause large-scale disturbances. However, he counters that this assumption glosses over the capacity of larger groups to disrupt various crucial systems including banks, companies, pharmacies, hospitals, railway networks, and civilian government services.
These new rules are grounded firmly in international humanitarian law, urging restraint in their hacking activities and adherence to existing laws. Yet, the lines between civilian and military hacking have become blurred in the Ukraine conflict. This muddled boundary is evidenced by the emergence of civilian groups like the IT Army of Ukraine, a government-induced endeavour to target Russian entities.
Whilst the IT Army of Ukraine, boasting 160,000 members on its Telegram channel, targets public utilities like railway systems and banks, it remains undecided about adopting ICRC’s rules. The group has already prohibited attacks on healthcare targets, but argues that the broader civilian impact is inevitable.
Similar large groups in Russia have mounted attacks on Ukraine and its allies. Meanwhile, pro-Russian factions are suspected of acting in concert with the Kremlin, a claim vehemently denied by groups like Killnet.
Among various entities, Anonymous Sudan, which targets technology companies and government services critical of Sudan or Islam, dismisses ICRC’s rules as untenable. Likewise, a prominent member of the Reddit group, the Anonymous collective, claims it no longer recognises ICRC’s authority and will not adhere to any of its new guidelines.
