Digital ’Red Cross emblem’ to protect against attacks

Humanitarian protection and support for victims of war and armed violence, that is the goal of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The symbol of the Red Cross is intended to protect aid workers from attack during their missions. Can this symbol also be used for the digital world - and what opportunities and risks are associated with it?

An international team of researchers investigated this question on behalf of the ICRC. Matthew Smith, a computer scientist at the University of Bonn and Fraunhofer FKIE, is a member of this team. Prof. Smith is an expert on the human factor in IT security. ...