The United Kingdom has finally decided to name and shame all those countries which are trying to launch or have launched cyber attacks on its critical infrastructure. The names include Russia, North Korea, and other states which are alleged to be behind the cyber assaults on Britain’s infrastructure on a previous note.
UK’s Attorney General Jeremy Wright disclosed this news to the media early this week and also included the fact that all those involved will be treated under international law in the same way as if they were involved in terrorist activity.
“Applying the international law to cyberspace is the need of the hour and so states are requested to set out what they see as the ‘rules of the world’,” said Jeremy Wright.
Therefore, from now on Britain is all set to treat activities such as the cyber attack on air traffic control systems on par with bombing the air traffic control tower; as both lead to criminal activity of downing of civilian aircraft.
Already, UK government has started this affair by naming North Korean linked state hackers behind WannaCry Ransomware Attack on NHS which happened at the same time last year.
In February this year, British Prime Minister Theresa May mentioned in one of her media interactions that Hackers funded by Russian government were involved in spreading June 2017 NotPetya Attack.
Note 1- North Korea is likely to cancel a meet with US President Donald Trump which was supposed to be held on June 12 this year in Singapore. If this happens, then the said nation might prefer launching super active cyber attacks in cyberspace in order to prove its valiance in the international arena. Kim Jong Un has already done it in the past and there’s no surprise if he repeats it again in near future.
Note- 2- Russia has never reacted sharply to the criticism alleged by the governments of UK and US along with the media from the said two nations. Its president Vladimir Putin goes with “I care a damn” attitude when it comes to facing allegations from the west, but is found smartly crafting his actions in retaliation in a silent way.
