The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has published the first-ever rules regarding the actions of civilian hackers during military conflicts, writes BBC.

They noted that since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many people have been joining “cyber gangs.” The list consists of eight rules, which are as follows:

  • Do not conduct cyberattacks against civilian objects;
  • Do not use malicious software or other tools or techniques that spread automatically and indiscriminately target military and civilian objects;
  • When planning a cyberattack on a military facility, do everything possible to avoid or minimize the consequences that the operation may have on the civilian population;
  • Do not conduct cyber operations against medical and humanitarian facilities;
  • Do not carry out cyberattacks on objects necessary for the survival of the population or those that can unleash dangerous forces;
  • Not to threaten violence with the aim of terrorizing the civilian population;
  • Not to incite violations of international humanitarian law;
  • Follow these rules, even if the enemy does not.

The committee also warns hackers that their actions could endanger lives, including their own, if they are considered a legitimate military target.

However, some hackers have already stated that the ICRC rules are untenable, so they will not follow them. Others do not yet have a ready-made solution to this situation.