SPYING FOR THE RIGHT REASONS: CONTESTED NORMS IN CYBERSPACE
Abstract
When former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed that the United States was tapping the phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he triggered an entirely new debate upon the changing international norms of espionage in the twenty-first century, especially the question of spying among allies. Additionally, taking advantage of cyber vulnerabilities might be perceived as a precursor to attack, and advanced persistence threats allow the exploitation of huge amounts of data, including intellectual property, on an unprecedented scale.However, international norms have always been contested from a legal or ethical perspective and are not new in cyberspace. The reasons for deviating from norms in cyberspace will not be found in this specific domain but within the overarching context of international relations. Nations should not refrain from cyber-espionage in general just because the access to a system could be perceived as a precursor to attack, and spying on critical infrastructure in particular if the overall behavior of a potential adversary is sending a threatening message and states survival might be at stake. Also, while it is obvious that economically motivated cyber-espionage is outside the norm, it is also alluring to cross this norm because cyber-espionage is a low risk and high payoff enterprise. Therefore, limits have to be articulated and agreed upon and the international community has to interweave these agreements in other mechanisms outside the virtual world to underpin their value. And lastly, even allies should be aware that there is no such thing as unconditional trust. Nevertheless, it is of utmost importance that states adhere to more restraining norms when verifying on allies in lieu to spying on adversaries to avoid damage to the unity of alliances and common values.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 06, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1038181
Entities
People
- Andreas Wachowitz
Organizations
- Air War College