区分原则在网络战中的适用

The Application of Principle of Distinction in Cyber Warfare

网络战是信息时代的一种新战争形式,它的匿名性、跨国性、破坏性等特点使其对国际安全构成新的挑战;网络战发生的可能性和危险度正在随着技术的发展而与日俱增,但现有国际法对之没能做出任何有力应对。世界上已经发生了一些网络战的案例,它们不仅揭示了网络攻击通过与物理攻击相结合而造成严重的影响,而且对国际人道法的一些重要原则(如区分原则)提出了严重的挑战。区分原则在网络战中的适用遭遇众多的困难,人们难以依据区分原则来确定网络攻击的合法性,战斗员会更加倾向于选择网络攻击、而非常规手段来发动攻击,从而在网络战中要比在常规战争中更为频繁地违犯区分原则。由于网络战潜在的巨大军事价值,虽然网络战也许较之常规战争更加难以控制,但即使可能会遭到构成战争罪的指控,一些国家也要竭力发展网络战、甚至破坏区分原则在网络战中的适用。为此,可以通过改进或重新解释国际人道法、利用和发展相关的习惯国际法规则来规范网络战。

As an emerging form of warfare in the information age,cyber warfare,with its anonymity,and transnational and destructive characteristics,poses a new challenge to the international safety.However,it is not explicitly addressed by existing international law.After providing an overview of the global Internet structure and outlining several cyber warfare scenarios,this article argues that violations of the traditional principle of distinction are more likely to take place in cyber warfare than in conventional warfare.As exemplified by a few cases of cyber-warfare in the world,cyber-attacks,usually combined with physical attacks,can bring both serious impacts and a serious challenge to the important principles of international humanitarian law(such as the principle of distinction).Application of the principle of distinction in cyber-warfare encountered numerous difficulties,and it is difficult to determine the legitimacy of network attack based on the principle of distinction.Hence,some states have strong incentives to engage in prohibited cyber-attacks,despite the risk of war crimes accusations.Cyber-warfare can be regulated by improving or reinterpreting the rules of international humanitarian law,and implementing and developing the rules of customary international law.