International Cyber Law Toolkit scenario: Internet blockage

Arindrajit Basu and Gurshabad Grover contribute a scenario and a legal analysis to the International Cyber Law in Practice Toolkit.

As per it’s website.

The Cyber Law Toolkit is a dynamic interactive web-based resource for legal professionals who work with matters at the intersection of international law and cyber operations. The Toolkit may be explored and utilized in a number of different ways. At its core, it presently consists of 24 hypothetical scenarios. Each scenario contains a description of cyber incidents inspired by real-world examples, accompanied by detailed legal analysis. The aim of the analysis is to examine the applicability of international law to the scenarios and the issues they raise.

In response to widespread protests, a State takes measures to isolate its domestic internet networks from connecting with the global internet. These actions also lead to a massive internet outage in the neighbouring State, whose internet access was contingent on interconnection with a large network in the former State. The analysis considers whether the first State’s actions amount to violations of international law, in particular with respect to the principle of sovereignty, international human rights law, international telecommunication law and the responsibility to prevent transboundary harm.

You can read the full scenario and analysis here.

The press release by NATO CCDCOE announcing the September 2021 update may be accessed here.