Question

Is it ethical for governments to write malware to fight their enemies? What impact can it have on civilians?

Answer 1

If is it ethical for governments to write malware to fight their enemies and what impact it can have on civilians:
No (from the war law and ethics perspective), it is not ethical for governments to write malware to fight their enemies, and the impact it can have on civilians are- civilians losing their privacy, anonymity, security, safety, freedom, and the rights to all these, losing their money, property, respect, value, and may even, in fact, their lives, bringing them their death. However, if the enemy has already broken the war law and ethics, then yes, governments can fight their enemies, exactly the way, they even started it. As the saying goes- a thorn can be handled, fought, and removed only using another thorn.

Yes, they say, and in fact, it is in Cyber, Information, Internet, Network Security, such that, in order to defend and offend enemies online, one must also think, act, and work like them, possessing the same or higher set of skills, knowledge, expertise, tools, experience, however only to fight them and fight only them (enemies). Under no circumstances, civilians should and must be impacted negatively in any way, any situation, at any point in time, to any extent, anyhow, and for any reason. Civilians are always considered innocent and they should not be taken as culprits nor should they be victims in any way.

Well, as a first step, any government should always fight their enemies very legally per the laws of rules, and they should keep doing at their best and full efforts as long as possible. Only when it is not possible to defend the enemy, should governments and they could write malware to fight their enemies making it ethical, per ethical hacking law.

This is for the simple reason, enemies (bad guys) can be fought anyhow and in any way, both first in a good way, and then in a bad way, to kill the bad and evil and bring in the good. However, in anything or in any action, if the end result is bad, in that case, no actions in the process should be taken in both, bad or good way.

The above morale and justice holds very good and is much needed for the simple reason and basic need per the constitution legal law and rule of any country is- A hundred guilty could be acquitted (freed) without any criminal charge, however even one innocent civilian must not be convicted and punished even by mistake, whatsoever.

The fight and war (cyberwar) on the Internet between the governments and their enemies should be in an isolated network (battlefield) or a network meant to attack each other, excluding any and all civilians, their networks, systems, machines, data, and even themselves.