International Law Protection in Cyberspace Against Ransomware and Experience of Vietnam

Amongst various cyberattacks, ransomware adversely affects the business operation as the malware locks the computer or data, and menaces to keep it locked unless a ransom is transferred. In a young tech market like Vietnam, cyberattacks, including ransomware, cause serious concerns for State and non-State actors. They can take place anywhere since cyberspace has no physical border to hold them back. This raises a query about the application of international law in cyberspace, especially when the ransomware hits non-State actors. In such cases, the sovereignty principle, having a significant relation with the jurisdiction, underpins the intervention of national authorities and regulation of ransomware. Vietnam’s government has intensified their efforts to stop the cyberattacks by cooperating with other countries and establishing a legal framework based on the international law principle.