The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) and other global entities are working to develop a digital emblem to protect humanitarian aid in cyberspace. This initiative aims to create a virtual equivalent of the red cross or crescent, signaling protection during cyber operations. The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) is facilitating multistakeholder processes to establish standards and systems for these digital emblems.
In May, CDT organized a workshop that brought together ICRC legal experts, technical sector specialists, and civil society members. They discussed the need for a digital emblem and potential standardization challenges. Topics included deploying authenticated emblem signals and ensuring attackers can identify them without revealing their own identities. Participants also highlighted the necessity of accountability mechanisms in law.
In October, at the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, 196 nation states party to the Geneva Conventions agreed by consensus to promote further research into digital emblems. Technical standardization is now a priority, with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) poised to form a working group incorporating voices from various sectors.
The requirements for this digital emblem include authentication by diverse sources, covert inspection capabilities, resilience and usability in conflict zones, and voluntary adoption. Interoperable standards could address multiple use cases with one design.
Despite these efforts, no digital emblem can fully protect against malicious actors or state-based groups causing collateral damage. However, it offers organizations a chance to shield themselves from digital disruption while providing accountability through international governance when medical services face cyberattacks.
This project relies on support from the technical community, nation states, tech industry, academic researchers, and the Red Cross movement. CDT remains committed to guiding this initiative through technical standardization alongside ICRC and other stakeholders.
