The ethics of cyber attack: Pursuing legitimate security and the common good in contemporary conflict scenarios

Lonsdale, David J.

Abstract

Cyber attack against Critical National Infrastructure is a developing capability in state arsenals. The onset of this new instrument in national security has implications for conflict thresholds and military ethics. To serve as a legitimate tool of policy, cyber attack must operate in accordance with moral concerns. To test the viability of cyber attack, this paper provides a new perspective on cyber ethics. Cyber attack is tested against the criteria of the Common Good. This involves identifying the four core components of the common good from a conflict perspective: respect for the person; social wellbeing; peace and security; and solidarity. The fate of these components is assessed in relation to the six key characteristics of cyber attack from a moral standpoint: security; the role or absence of violence; discrimination; proportionality; cyberharm; and the threshold of conflict. It is concluded that the common good must be incorporated into developing state cyber strategies.

Citation

Lonsdale, D. J. (2020). The ethics of cyber attack: Pursuing legitimate security and the common good in contemporary conflict scenarios. Journal of Military Ethics, 19(1), 20-39. https://doi.org/10.1080/15027570.2020.1764694

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 28, 2018
• Online Publication Date: May 28, 2020
• Publication Date: 2020
• Deposit Date: Feb 12, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 29, 2021
• Journal: Journal of Military Ethics
• Print ISSN: 1502-7570
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 20-39
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15027570.2020.1764694
• Keywords: Cyber attack; Cyber strategies; Conflict thresholds; Military ethics; Common good
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/1295772
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15027570.2020.1764694
• Contract Date: Feb 12, 2019