International Law in Cyberspace: Challenges of Sovereignty, Attribution, Enforcement and Global Cyber Governance

Abstract

The fast pace of development of digital technologies has turned cyberspace into an important sphere of international relations and created numerous legal problems in the context of the application of international law to cyberspace. To begin with, cyber operations transcend borders and involve not only government entities but also non-state actors as well, breaching the rules of conduct for states. The current research paper will deal with the applicability of international law to cyberspace from the perspective of sovereignty, non-intervention, prohibition of the use of force, attribution, state responsibility, and enforcement. The research methodology of this work is going to be the doctrine of legal research. It will analyze such international instruments as the United Nations Charter, customary international law, the Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (ARSIWA), the Tallinn Manual 2.0, and others. The paper argues that for the development of an effective and sustainable framework of global cyber governance, it is crucial to foster international collaboration, clarify the implementation of current legal principles, and enhance consistency among states in their actions.