The health-care sector appears to be particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks. However, sophisticated attacks have succeeded in disrupting the provision of essential services to the civilian population.

The cyber attacks we are seeing today generate significant economic costs, but most are not part of an armed conflict and have fortunately not caused major harm to people. The report of this expert meeting is available online.

Last year, the ICRC invited experts from around the world to meet to develop a realistic assessment of the potential human cost of cyber operations. The ICRC monitors technological developments that could be used as means and methods of warfare and assesses the risks and challenges they generate from technical, humanitarian, military and legal perspectives. A few States have publicly acknowledged their use, and an increasing number of States are developing military cyber capabilities, whether for offensive or defensive purposes. In today's armed conflicts, cyber operations are being used as a means or method of warfare. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is grateful for the opportunity to address the first substantive session of the 'Open-ended working group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security'.Īs we all know, technological developments offer tremendous opportunities for humanity. Statement delivered by Véronique Christory, Senior Arms Control Adviser for the International Committee of the Red Cross to the 'Open-ended working group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security' - New York, 10 September 2019

Law of armed conflict cyber warfare