Session 9 Flashcards
Q: What was the name of the cyber campaign launched by Anonymous during the 2012 Gaza conflict?
A: OpIsrael.
Q: What were the main tactics used by Anonymous in their cyber attacks against Israel in 2012?
A: Denial-of-Service attacks, website defacements, and large-scale data breaches.
Q: How many Israeli government websites did Anonymous target, and what kind of data did they leak?
A: Over 300 websites were targeted; they leaked personal data of around 35,000 Israeli citizens and supporters, including names, emails, phone numbers, and addresses.
Q: What reason did Anonymous give for their cyber attacks on Israel in 2012?
A: Retaliation against alleged Israeli human rights abuses and military actions in Gaza.
Q: How did the Israeli government respond to the cyber attacks?
A: Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz acknowledged a “second front” of cyber attacks and claimed that 44 million attacks were deflected, with minimal impact.
Q: What broader context did the cyber attacks occur within during November 2012?
A: The Gaza conflict, where Israeli military operations and Hamas rocket attacks resulted in the deaths of 95 Gazans and 3 Israelis, with many more wounded.
Q: What is cyber warfare under International Humanitarian Law (IHL)?
A: Cyber warfare refers to the use of ICT systems to conduct hostile operations during an armed conflict, including attacks on digital infrastructure.
Q: Does International Humanitarian Law apply to cyber operations?
A: Yes, there is consensus that IHL applies to cyber operations conducted during an armed conflict, as affirmed by the ICRC and the Tallinn Manual.
Q: What are the two types of armed conflict where cyber operations may trigger IHL?
A: International Armed Conflict (IAC) and Non-International Armed Conflict (NIAC).
Q: What is the threshold for a cyber operation to qualify as an “armed conflict” under IHL?
A: The cyber operation must cause physical damage, injury, death, or destruction equivalent to kinetic attacks.
Q: What is the principle of distinction in the context of cyber warfare?
A: Parties must distinguish between military objectives and civilian objects; however, many cyber infrastructures are dual-use, complicating this requirement.
Q: How does the principle of proportionality apply to cyber attacks?
A: Cyber attacks must not cause excessive civilian harm in relation to the anticipated military advantage.
Q: What is the rule on precautions in cyber operations under IHL?
A: Parties must take feasible precautions to avoid or minimize incidental harm to civilians and civilian objects during cyber attacks.
Q: When can civilians lose their protection from attack in cyber warfare?
A: If they directly participate in hostilities, such as conducting cyber attacks that affect military operations.
Q: Why is attribution a legal challenge in cyber warfare?
A: Cyber attacks are often anonymous, involve proxies, or use false flags, making it difficult to attribute responsibility to a specific state or actor.
Q: What are some unresolved legal issues regarding cyber warfare under IHL?
A: Whether cyber operations without physical effects trigger IHL, application of neutrality in cyberspace, and regulation of cyber espionage.
Q: What does Rule 53 of Customary International Humanitarian Law prohibit?
A: The use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of warfare.
Q: Is the prohibition of starvation applicable in both international and non-international armed conflicts?
A: Yes, it is recognized as a norm of customary international law in both types of conflicts.
Q: Which international legal instruments codify the prohibition of starvation in warfare?
A: Article 54(1) of Additional Protocol I, Article 14 of Additional Protocol II, and Article 8(2)(b)(xxv) of the ICC Statute.
Q: How is siege warfare treated under Rule 53?
A: Siege warfare is not prohibited if its purpose is military, but it must not aim to starve civilians; civilians must be allowed to leave or receive humanitarian aid.
Q: What is the legal status of blockades under Rule 53?
A: Blockades are lawful if they pursue a military objective but must not be used to starve civilians and must allow humanitarian relief.
Q: What are the related rules that reinforce the prohibition of starvation in IHL?
A: Rule 54 (protection of objects indispensable to civilian survival), Rule 55 (access to humanitarian relief), and Rule 56 (protection of humanitarian relief personnel).
Q: What weapon did Israel allegedly use unlawfully in southern Lebanon in October 2023?
A: White phosphorus artillery shells.
Q: Why is the use of white phosphorus in populated areas considered unlawful under International Humanitarian Law (IHL)?
A: Because it is an indiscriminate weapon that fails to distinguish between civilians and military objectives, violating the principles of distinction and proportionality.
