Cyber Terrorism And The Limits Of International Law: Rethinking Global Legal Responses In The Digital Age
Riya Sahni, Bhartiya Vidyapeeth University, Delhi
ABSTRACT
The advent of modern information and communication technology has dramatically changed the world’s security scenario thereby helping terrorist groups leverage cyberspace for propagation of ideologies, planning operations, financial transactions and to launch operations targeting the infrastructure of key states. Cyber terrorism faces challenges that have never been present for conventional forms of terrorism; this stems from its international nature, the problems with identifying the culprits, jurisdictional divisions, and no universally agreed upon legal definition. Although international law has expanded with conventions on cybercrime, the United Nations and various other bodies on cyber terrorism, these initiatives are too disconnected. This article analyses whether the existing international legal frameworks on cyber terrorism are sufficient and the impact of Indian domestic legal framework under the global framework of cyber governance. By employing the doctrinal and comparative legal methods, it is argued that the existing legal frameworks have been largely reactive and the modern technological environment has left the current laws in inadequacy. Hence, the author emphasizes for the need of a coordinated legal framework through, establishing a widely accepted definition of cyber terrorism, efficient attribution regime, improved international cooperation and protected critical digital infrastructure.
Keywords: Cyber Terrorism; International Law; Cybersecurity; Budapest Convention; State Responsibility; Critical Infrastructure; India.
