'NotPetya' malware attacks could warrant retaliation, says Nato researcher

If malware outbreak was state sponsored it could count as violation of sovereignty and open possibility of countermeasures, says TomiA Minirik

The NotPetya malware that wiped computers at organisations including Maersk, Merck and the Ukrainian government in June "could count as a violation of sovereignty", according to a legal researcher at Nato's cybersecurity division.

If the malware outbreak was state-sponsored, the Nato researcher says, it could open the possiblity of "countermeasures". Those could come through retaliatory cyber--attacks, or more conventional means such as sanctions, but they must fall short of a military use of force.