Tripwire for real war? Cyber’s fuzzy rules of engagement

By FRANK BAJAK
AP Technology Writer

BOSTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said back in July that if the U.S. ends up in a war with a major power it would “be as a consequence of a cyber breach of great consequence.” Now tensions are soaring over Ukraine with Western officials warning about the danger of Russia launching damaging cyberattacks. While no one is suggesting that could lead to a full-blown war between nuclear-armed rivals, the risk of escalation is serious. The danger is in the uncertainty about what crosses a digital red line. Cyberattacks have been on the rise for years and often go unpunished. It’s unclear how grave a malicious cyber operation would have to be to cross the threshold to an act of war.