German cyberwarriors assert right to ‘hack back’ when attacked

By: Sebastian Sprenger

COLOGNE, Germany – German authorities believe they are on firm legal footing to retaliate against cyber attacks by unleashing digital or conventional counterattacks, according to a series of recent written responses by government officials to lawmakers.

The documents shed light on some of the legal considerations of cyber-warfare mulled in Berlin, just as the Bundeswehr moves toward full operational capability of a new command devoted to cyber operations.

Some of the assertions outlined in a missive last month are surprisingly hawkish for a country reflexively averse to the use of military force. While acknowledging certain gray areas in responding to potentially crippling cyber attacks, officials also made clear that defending the country would afford the security services broad leeway under international law.

“Just as in the land, air and naval domains, the Bundeswehr possesses 'active and reactive' capabilities that can be used for lawful operations,” Peter Tauber, the parliamentary deputy defense secretary, wrote to a collection of lawmakers from the opposition Green Party.

So-called hack backs, or the retaliatory targeting of an attacker's information infrastructure, fall into that category, according to Tauber. As such, no new legal authorities for cyber defense would be required, he argued. At the same time, officials noted that such counterattacks would be permitted only as a counter-strike, not as an unprovoked act.

Full Article: https://www.fifthdomain.com/global/europe/2018/08/07/german-cyberwarriors-assert-right-to-hack-back-when-attacked/