What is a responsible cyber power?

Russia’s cyberwar in Ukraine has been as reckless as its physical one. Its cyber-attack on satellites on the first day of fighting mistakenly spilled over into almost 6,000 German wind farms. It sprayed “wiper” malware across the country, irreversibly destroying data. And it directed attacks at civilian power and water infrastructure, adding to the misery of its shells and rockets. It has been one of the most intensive cyber-campaigns ever conducted—and perhaps the most irresponsible.

But what is a responsible cyber power? On April 4th Britain’s National Cyber Force (ncf) sought to answer that question by publishing a document setting out how it views the purpose and principles of “offensive cyber”—the disruption of computer networks, as distinct from cyber-espionage. It also revealed the identity of the ncf’s commander, James Babbage, who has given his first interview, to The Economist.