Hi, my name is
Rebecca Lee and I’m a senior majoring in Global Affairs and minoring in
Information Technology and Japanese Studies. This semester, I have the
privilege to do my research under the mentorship of Dr. Jim Jones, a professor
in the Computer Forensics program within the Electrical and Computer
Engineering Department. As a Global Affairs major, I have been able to take
classes in a variety of different disciplines such as International Politics,
Economics, Conflict Resolution, and History to understand global issues and
events that are currently going on around the world. After learning about cyber
terrorism and warfare in Professor Self’s Geography of Insurgency class during
my junior year, I became specifically interested in how cyber attacks are
influencing nation-state relations. My research topic involves studying existing
international law doctrines to answer my research question “Was Stuxnet
considered an armed attack?” In order to answer the question, I will need to draw
upon existing legal doctrines to understand what an armed attack to study the
2010 Stuxnet cyber attack. Currently, I am in the process of developing my own
definition of what an armed attack is from my readings. On a weekly basis, I
spend time writing notes and reading up on existing literature on the topic.
From one of my readings this week, I discovered that many legal scholars are
arguing that international law doctrines such as the Law of Armed Conflict and
the UN Charter Article 51 may possibly not address if cyber attacks are
considered armed attacks.
After I
graduate, I hope to work for the State Department or in the Intelligence
Community to study and work towards developing the legal framework to properly
address cyber attacks. As of this moment, there is no clear criteria for
determining whether a cyberattack is considered a criminal act or an act of
terrorism. I hope to work with policymakers or legal scholars in this particular
field to find solutions. Therefore, I believe my current research on this topic
will help me to achieve my long-term goals.
