Schneier Recommends Nuclear-Style Cyberwar Hotlines, Treaties 123
strawberryshakes writes "Cyberwar is the new nuclear war. Bruce Schneier says governments should establish hotlines and treaties outlining the protocol surrounding cyberwar, just as they would for any other war. He wrote in the Financial Times (paywalled, but available through Google), 'A first step would be a hotline between the world’s cyber commands, modelled after similar hotlines among nuclear commands. This would at least allow governments to talk to each other, rather than guess where an attack came from. More difficult, but more important, are new cyberwar treaties. These could stipulate a no first use policy, outlaw unaimed weapons, or mandate weapons that self-destruct at the end of hostilities. The Geneva Conventions need to be updated too. Cyber weapons beg to be used, so limits on stockpiles, and restrictions on tactics, are a logical end point. International banking, for instance, could be declared off-limits. Whatever the specifics, such agreements are badly needed.'"
Stockpiles?...of cyber weapons? (Score:5, Funny)
Cyberwar Hotline (Score:5, Funny)
"Hello, cyberwar hotline. Have you tried turning it off and back on again?"