Cyber attacks and the evolution of the regime on the prohibition of the use of force

Cyber attacks by States and non-state actors have now become very frequent and increasingly sophisticated and harmful. It is common opinion that cyber operations must be examined in light of the fundamental principles of international law, including the prohibition of the use of force. Starting from this assumption, the following analysis seeks to demonstrate that the current issues regarding cyber attacks no longer concern whether they should be examined in light of the prohibition of the use of force, as it has instead been taken for granted so far; rather it is time to assess how cyber attacks have already affected the application of the regime regarding the use of force. From this perspective, the article highlights that such incidence brings some risks but also positive aspects, especially regarding the development of the prohibition of the use of force in relation to the spread of new tools for resorting to force.