CFR.org - Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity and Internet Governance

Andrea Renda — Fri, 03 May 2013 14:26:40 -0400

The Internet's growing role in economies and societies also poses new threats. The time has come for states and private partners to set global norms for web conduct, says expert Andrea Renda.

China, Cybersecurity, and Crisis Stability

Adam Segal and Irina A. Faskianos — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:34 -0400

Adam Segal, CFR's Maurice R. Greenberg senior fellow for China studies, leads a conversation on U.S.-China relations through the lens of cybersecurity issues, as part of CFR's Academic Conference Call series.

Web Censorship: the Net is Closing In

Jared Cohen and Eric Schmidt — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:17:40 -0400

Jared Cohen and Eric Schmidt discuss potential future Internet censorship and security scenarios.

The Dark Side of the Digital Revolution

Jared Cohen and Eric Schmidt — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:23:23 -0400

After visiting North Korea, Jared Cohen and Eric Schmidt write about the future of surveillance and digital police states.

The Future of U.S. Special Operations Forces

Linda Robinson and Stephen Biddle — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:51:22 -0400

Linda Robinson discusses her recently released Council Special Report, The Future of U.S. Special Operations Forces, which calls for conceptual, institutional, and operational changes to reorient U.S. special operations forces to ensure that they are employed to best effect.

Law and Ethics for Autonomous Weapon Systems: Why a Ban Won’t Work and How the Laws of War Can

Matthew C. Waxman and Kenneth Anderson — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:39:20 -0400

Grounded in a realistic assessment of technology, Matthew C. Waxman and Kenneth Anderson outline a practical alternative with which to evaluate the use of autonomous weaponry that incorporates codes of conduct based on traditional legal and ethical principles governing weapons and warfare.

Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community, April 2013

James Clapper Jr. — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:19:45 -0400

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper testified before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on March 12, 2013, and before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligenceon April 11, 2013, regarding the Intelligence Community's Worldwide Threat Assessment. He discussed the effects of sequestration on the intelligence community and listed cybersecurity as the top threat to U.S. security.

What does the worst-case scenario of a cyberattack on the United States by another state or by terrorists look like?

Richard A. Falkenrath — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:45:35 -0400

Cyber weapons are different from conventional weapons in that their effects do not directly manifest themselves in the "real world." There are three broad categories of potential effects of cyberattacks: personal, economic, and physical.

Tallinn Manual on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:06:24 -0400

In 2009 the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence (NATO CCD COE) asked a panel of international law experts to "apply standards of international law to a virtual battlefield." The panel released this report on March 28, 2013, as "an expression of opinions of a group of independent experts acting solely in their personal capacity."

WaPo: Public Debate on Offensive Cyber Strategy?

Matthew C. Waxman — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:21:30 -0400

Matthew Waxman discusses the Washington Post's recent editorial page U.S. cyber-strategy debate on his blog, Lawfare.

Executive Order: Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, February 2013

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:29:05 -0500

President Barack Obama ordered on February 12, 2013 that the U.S. government work with "owners and operators of critical infrastructure" to share information about cyber threats and attacks and to implement common cybersecurity standards.

The People's Republic of Hacking

Adam Segal — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:35:18 -0500

Adam Segal says the recent Chinese cyberattacks on Bloomberg and the New York Times highlights both the willingness of Beijing to shape the narrative about China, as well as the vulnerability the top leadership feels about how they are portrayed.

The New Face of Energy Insecurity

Blake Clayton — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 14:17:43 -0500

Blake Clayton argues that cyber attacks on oil and gas operations are the new face of energy insecurity, with vast potential for crippling effects on global energy prices and nations far beyond the Middle East.

The Cyber Trade War

Adam Segal — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:56:16 -0400

Adam Segal says the showdown between China and the United States over telecommunications is about more than just security.

Secretary Leon Panetta's Speech About Cybersecurity

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 10:35:57 -0400

Secretary Panetta discusses the global threat of cybersecurity attacks.

Encryption, Not Restriction, Is the Key to Safe Cloud Computing

Richard A. Falkenrath and Paul Rosenzweig — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 17:15:24 -0400

Richard A. Falkenrath and Paul Rosenzweig argue that encryption-based technology is a better way to secure governmental data than mandates that keep information within geographical boundaries.

Koh's Remarks on International Law in Cyberspace, September 2012

Harold Hongju Koh — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:09:34 -0400

Harold Koh, Legal Advisor at the U.S. Department of State, gave these remarks at the USCYBERCOM Inter-Agency Legal Conference in Maryland on September 18, 2012.

The Post-9/11 Civil Liberties Debate

Matthew C. Waxman and Jonathan Masters — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 09:58:04 -0400

Post-9/11 U.S. counterterrorism and surrounding civil liberties issues are unlikely to stray far from currently policy no matter who is in the White House in 2013, says CFR's Matthew Waxman.

Q. & A.: The Cybersecurity Bill, China, and Innovation

Evan Osnos and Adam Segal — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 17:28:38 -0400

Adam Segal discusses the Cybersecurity Act, China, and technology innovation in an interview with Evan Osnos.

Obama's Article on "Taking the Cyberattack Threat Seriously", July 2012

Barack Obama — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 09:45:14 -0400

President Barack Obama published this article on cybersecurity in the Wall Street Journal on July 19, 2012.

WashPost: Cyber Search Engine Shodan Exposes Industrial Control Systems to New Risks

Robert O'Harrow Jr. — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:42:18 -0400

With incidence of severe cybersecurity breaches increasing, govenment and business leaders are forced to re-evaluate control computer systems and heighten defences against hackers, writes Robert O'Harrow Jr. in the Washington Post.

WashPost: Understanding Cyberspace is Key to Defending Against Digital Attacks

Robert O'Harrow Jr. — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 14:35:14 -0400

Government and business leaders in the United States and around the world are rushing to build better defenses -- and to prepare for the coming battles in the digital universe, writes Robert O'Harrow Jr. at the Washington Post. To succeed, they must understand one of the most complex, man-made environments on Earth: cyberspace.

ECOSOC Draft Resolution 20/7: Promotion of Activities Relating to Combating Cybercrime, Including Technical Assistance and Capacity-building

Tue, 01 May 2012 16:40:10 -0400

The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Draft Resolution 20/7: Promotion of Activities Relating to Combating Cybercrime, Including Technical Assistance and Capacity-building was adopted in April 2011.

Additional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime

Tue, 01 May 2012 16:09:20 -0400

The Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe's Convention on Cybercrime, concerning the criminalisation of acts of a racist and xenophobic nature committed through computer systems, was adopted in Strasbourg, France on January 28, 2003.

CRS: Cybersecurity: Authoritative Reports and Resources

Rita Tehan — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:27:03 -0400

This Congressional Research Service report compiles hearings, legislation, data, and other reports on cybersecurity.

Five Secrets Anonymous Should Steal From China

Adam Segal — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:19:38 -0400

Adam Segal says that rather than just defacing websites, Anonymous should target five specific Chinese websites to obtain real secrets.

CRS: Cybersecurity: Selected Legal Issues

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:38:32 -0400

This report discusses selected legal issues that frequently arise in the context of recent legislation to address vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure to cyber threats.

NYT: How China Steals Our Secrets

Richard Clarke — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:23:35 -0400

Richard Clarke, former special adviser to the president for cybersecurity, says the proposed cybersecurity bill would not do much to stop Chinese cyber espionage. He suggests that the Obama administration act to stop the threat.

UN General Assembly Resolution 57/239, Cybersecurity

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:21:09 -0400

UN General Assembly Resolution 57/239 regarding the "creation of a global culture of cybersecurity" was adopted on January 31, 2003.

Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 11:00:24 -0400

The Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime was opened for signature on November 23, 2001