A/76/187 victims are reluctant to pay the ransom. We have also seen attackers grow more sophisticated, sitting on a network over time and looking around for the most high value data to encrypt, as well as any online back-ups to obstruct recovery. How international law applies to the use of information and communications technologies The United Kingdom affirms that all existing international law, including respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the application of international humanitarian law to cyberoperations in armed conflict, forms part of our mutual commitment to behave responsibly in cyberspace. International law applies in its entirety in the same way it applies to State activities offline. In this regard, we welcome the call by the International Committee of the Red Cross for all States to reaffirm that international humanitarian law applies to the conduct of cyberoperations during armed conflicts. When States engage in cyberoperations, they are governed by international law just like activities in any other domain. The application of international humanitarian law to cybe roperations in armed conflicts provides both protection and clarity. It does not encourage such conflict and ensures that the existing body of principles and rules that seek to minimize the humanitarian consequences of conflict apply. However, we believe that we all need to go further as individual States and set out our own understandings of how international law applies to cyberspace. The United Kingdom did so in 2018 when former Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC MP set out the United Kingdom’s position on applying international law to cyberspace. This was the first time a Government Minister had placed the United Kingdom’s view on record. We also recognize the need for capacity-building in relation to international law, including through possible exercises relating to our understanding of the application of international law. Capacity-building in this area could make a tangible difference to the ability of States to develop their own positions and defend their national interests in future negotiations, as well as to ensure we do not inadvertently deepen the digital divide in this way. Norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviour of States In September 2019, the United Kingdom submitted to the Open -ended Working Group the “Non-paper on efforts to implement norms of responsible State behaviour in cyberspace, as agreed in the United Nations Group of Governmental Expert reports of 2010, 2013 and 2015”. 11 This remains an effective guide to efforts by the United Kingdom to implement the norms of responsible State behaviour. We welcomed the submission by the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Group on Cyber issues of the United Kingdom of a complementary paper, 12 which provides suggestions on how stakeholders can contribute to norm implementation in support of States. The United Kingdom believes that norms must be implemented to be effective. The key factors in implementation are as follows: • Awareness within Governments and stakeholder communities to help develop a shared understanding of the value of the norms and promote their adoption. __________________ 11 12 21-10045 https://unoda-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/uk-un-norms-non-paperoewg-submission-final.pdf. www.un.org/disarmament/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/efforts-implement-norms-ukstakeholders-12419.pdf. 39/46