The Sony and OPM double whammy: international law and cyber attacks

One reality of dramatically increasing electronic connectivity is a commensurate increase in vulnerability to disruption., Computer network attacks are now so ubiquitous that they have become a hallmark of 21st century digital life. Reports suggest that, in 2014 alone, in excess of 317 million new pieces of malware were produced and released-a figure that translates into a staggering nearly one million new pieces of malware created on average every single day of the year. The trouble lies in the fact that software is fundamental to electronic functionality, and yet software is exceedingly difficult to produce without flaw. Exploitation of flaws in software via a release of targeted malware is not only commonplace but increasingly innovative, sophisticated, and audacious.