ABSTRACT
This chapter is the first case study of politically motivated actors and their attack methods covering cyberwar and warfare. States and state-supported actors are engaged in hybrid warfare operating just below the threshold of war. Although states claim they will respect international law, they use state-sponsored actors to distance themselves from the actions. Online attacks are not regulated in international law, and there are no norms developed to manage behaviours, protect assets and people, or prohibit cyberweapons. This chapter will include motivation, the actors and the means and method in a strategic and legal context. The attacks on SolarWinds, Microsoft Exchange, and healthcare services and COVID-19 research will be applied to the discussions
