From the Blue of Sea to the Dark Web: Cyber Operations in Some Maritime Zones and International Straits in the Light of Tallinn Manual 2.0

Abstract

The increasing connection of states’ main functions to the interconnected nature of cyberspace exposes them to a new spectrum of threats. The international community is aware of the increase in cyber threats and is trying to develop the existing international law to regulate cyber operations. Employing a descriptive-analytic method and using library and internet sources, the present article aims at examining the conditions and requirements of cyber operations in three maritime zones, namely the archipelago waters, the contiguous zone and the exclusive economic zone and also international straits in the light of Tallinn Manual 0.2. It seems that Tallinn Manual 0.2 can be useful both in explaining the rules of international law related to cyber operations, especially in the field of cyber operations in different maritime areas, and in reducing the existing normative gap in this field. However, it is undeniable that there are still many areas of disagreement and lack of clarity, even among the experts who prepared the Tallinn Manual. It appears that the international legal framework governing piracy, even despite its shortcomings, can provide a basis for creating a similar regime to ensure international cyber security. Since countries' economic and political future is increasingly intertwined, achieving international consensus on issues such as the legal regime governing harmful cyber-attacks and operations is essential for global security and economic prosperity.

Keywords

• cyber operations
• archipelagic waters
• contiguous zone
• exclusive economic zone
• international strait