Red Cross Wants Shielding from Hacks via Digital Emblem
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is proposing a digital version of its eponymous logo. The idea is that websites and other digital services that sport the “emblem” would gain protection from hacking under international law.
It might take the form of a DNS entry or digital signature. Codifying such a signal would make it a war crime to attack a service that legitimately advertised the emblem—just as it’s a war crime to attack vehicles and hospitals that fly a Red Cross flag.
Easy to mock, but it’s an interesting idea. In today’s SB Blogwatch, we give it space to ruminate.
Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment. Not to mention: Who continuity.
ICRC Thinks Outside Box
What’s the craic? The 50 Rock co-op reports—“Red Cross seeks ‘digital emblem’ to protect against hacking”:
“Identify the computer systems of protected facilities”
The [ICRC] is seeking support to create a “digital red cross/red crescent emblem” that would make clear to military and other hackers that they have entered the computer systems of medical facilities or Red Cross offices. … For over 150 years, symbols such as the red cross have been used to make clear that “in times of armed conflict, those who wear the red cross or facilities and objects marked with them must be protected from harm,” … the Geneva-based humanitarian organization said.
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That same obligation should apply online, the organization said. … It hopes the emblem would identify the computer systems of protected facilities much as a red cross or crescent on a hospital roof does in the real world.
You have questions. The ICRC’s Tilman Rodenhäuser and Mauro Vignati answer “Five questions on law, tech, and policy”:
“Regulated in international humanitarian law”
Since 2020, the ICRC has partnered with the Centre for Cyber Trust, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and, more recently, ITMO University St Petersburg and convened a global group of experts to assess the possible solutions, benefits, and risks associated with a ‘digital emblem.’ … Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, cyber operations against hospitals have disrupted life-saving treatment … when their urgent work was needed most.
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A ‘digital emblem’ will have to be ‘visible’ to and easily identifiable … by those conducting cyber operations. … It should also be possible to easily verify [its] authenticity. … It would make it easier for cyber operators to identify and spare protected entities. … In the ‘fog of war’ … it will primarily enhance protection [from] law-abiding operators and it may also have a deterrent effect on malicious ones.
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A key strength of the distinctive emblems and signals is that their form, function, use, and protection are regulated in international humanitarian law, and their misuse prohibited. … It is time for the international community to come together to ensure that new threats are addressed by updating and innovating long-standing practical protection measures.
ELI5? u/yagmot explains like we’re five:
They want to use it like the Red Cross symbol on hospitals: If you attack it after seeing the symbol you are knowingly committing a war crime. I doubt it will ever amount to any sort of justice.
What price justice? geekmux breaks out the spreadsheet:
It means nothing without enforcement. Hackers get caught and prosecuted? Chop off a limb and force them to report to the closest medical facility with a mandatory 3-hour wait to simulate a hacked environment.
See how that works out for them. “Hacking” will put an entertaining twist on the cause of death.
Is it worth a shot? u/Flat_Hat8861 damns with faint praise:
This is not really about general hacking and attacks. This is designed for nation-state actors during armed conflict. The Red Cross or Crescent doesn’t stop a doctor from being mugged, but it may stop them from being shot by the military.
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It isn’t a bad idea on it’s face. It might not really do anything either. I don’t, however, see how it would make anything worse.
But aren’t international laws of war simply worthless? This Anonymous Coward explains why not:
It protects them in the exact same way laws against murder protect you from being shot dead. Despite people … that argue laws against murder are worthless, the vast majority of the world would still rather have those laws in place, knowing they will cause consequences after the fact.
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It is Russia breaking these “worthless” laws … that has legitimized the rest of the world cutting off Russia from the global economy. They are the very thing enabling the cutoff of their support.
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Ukraine is actually following international law by not attacking humanitarian personnel, and due to following that law, they are receiving significant support from other NATO nations. … Russia has requested similar support from their own allies, and all of their allies except Syria and North Korea refuse to do so, showing the deterrent effect works. Even China has told them to kindly **** off and stop making them look bad.
OK, OK—but will it work? Yes and no, says u/Lithl:
I mean, for some it probably would. The hacker subculture can develop a weird sense of honor. Unfortunately, the kind of hacker it probably wouldn’t stop are most likely the state actors—the ones who it would be most important to stop.
Your humble blogwatcher notes we’re coming up on the 20th anniversary of RFC 3514. josephcsible waxes nostalgic:
This feels like it’d be about as effective as the evil bit.
Meanwhile, u/rofopp sees light at the end of the tunnel:
If they get this, will they stop hounding me about blood donations?
And Finally:
Best running gag in Doctor Who?
You have been reading SB Blogwatch by Richi Jennings. Richi curates the best bloggy bits, finest forums, and weirdest websites … so you don’t have to. Hate mail may be directed to @RiCHi or [email protected]. Ask your doctor before reading. Your mileage may vary. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Do not stare into laser with remaining eye. E&OE. 30.
Image sauce: Kevin Paes (via Unsplash; leveled and cropped)
