Cyber Statecraft Initiative

Registration is now open for the 7th annual Austin, TX #Cyber912 Strategy Challenge!    We are excited to welcome teams and judges from across the US and around the world to the 2025 Austin, TX Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge. The competition will take place in-person at The University of Texas School of Law, in partnership with the Strauss Center for International Security and Law, and we look forward to seeing you all on February 1-2, 2025.    Last year saw The Duke Phishermen team from Duke University crowned champions and win passes to Black Hat USA 2024. Can you and your team of multidisciplinary students prevent a cyber policy crisis as it unfolds across three escalating Intelligence Reports? The Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge tests your policy writing, crisis management, oral briefing, and teamwork skills, culminating in a high-stakes, time-pressured final briefing.     Do you think you’ve got what it takes? Registration is open now and closes on Friday, December 13. We’ll see you for two of our favorite things – BBQ and cyber policy!  https://lnkd.in/gwi5u6qG 

Recently, CSI Fellow Justin Sherman spoke on a panel at the International Monetary Fund/The World Bank Annual Meetings with the Atlantic Council GeoEconomics Center, discussing digital trust, privacy, and cybersecurity in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and considering specific examples from India, Ukraine, Kenya and elsewhere. In his accompanying issue brief on the topic, Justin highlights the following: ⏰ Timing Matters: The timeline of rolling out DPI projects significantly impacts public trust. Take India's "unified stack"—a phased rollout of products that offers both opportunities and risks. 🔏 Beyond Privacy as Binary: Privacy in DPI isn’t just "more" or "less"—it's about giving individuals control over their information in diverse settings, where concerns over corporate dominance and government control intersect. 🤝 Comprehensive Privacy Approach: DPI needs a privacy framework that covers public and private entities' working both separately and together. 🔐 Cybersecurity & Resilience: For DPI systems to build trust, they must be resilient and secure, protecting both personal and system data. Currently, approaches to cybersecurity and centralization vary worldwide, requiring improved policies and deeper risk assessments. Check out the panel below and read the full issue brief on "Finding Security in Digital Public Infrastructure" here: https://lnkd.in/gnSfn-4B #DigitalTransformation #Privacy #Cybersecurity https://lnkd.in/e2GvYKVf

As part of the 2024 #Cyber912 Strategy Challenge in Cape Town, South Africa, we hosted a panel discussion on exploring careers in cybersecurity. We were joined by Zainab R., Sandra Ackland, Noma-Efese Mnqeta, and Adam J. Hantman, our expert judges, drawn from government, industry, and academia who shared stories about how they got started in cybersecurity - from learning about the importance of privacy online, to encouraging students to never settle for just "keeping up" and to push their respective countries to develop policies that stay ahead of cybersecurity challenges and technological advancements like Artificial Intelligence. One of the highlights was this sage piece of advice from one of our judges: "Never waste a good crisis... don't walk in saying 'I told you so,' ask them what did they learn, and how are they going to make sure it never happens again." Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, MITRE, University of Cape Town, C3SA_UCT

📣 Last week we completed our 9th annual New York City, NY #Cyber912 Strategy Challenge! 🍎 Congratulations to Cloudestine Action of Patrick Henry College for providing the best policy recommendations on a double extortion ransomware attack against US financial institutions. A very competitive final round saw our winners edge out both Air University and United States Military Academy at West Point for the top spot. In this year's fictional scenario, a Russian-affiliated cyber group conducts a ransomware attack on a US financial clearing house in retaliation for US sanctions on a Russian entity. As China publicly distances itself from Russia, evidence emerges of a deeper Russia-China collusion aimed at destabilizing the US financial system and altering the global economic order, culminating in China's plan to auction off US Treasuries. Congratulations to the winners, and everyone who participated in the competition this year, and thank you to our partners Columbia | SIPA, Cyber Program! Our next #Cyber912 will be in Dundee, UK with Abertay cyberQuarter on November 13-14th!

🚨 Cybersecurity Awareness Month is here! 🚨 🎉 We're celebrating by diving deep into the challenges and insights from five senior cybersecurity executives– Liisa Past, Helen Patton, Megan Samford, Beth Cartier, and Michelle Chia– as they share their thoughts on ransomware response, regulatory hurdles, and fostering a culture of security awareness. 💡 🌐 In today’s interconnected world, CISOs and senior cybersecurity executives are more than tech leaders—they’re essential in shaping strategy to secure an organization’s mission. From navigating jurisdictional conflicts to managing ransomware incidents, their perspectives offer a roadmap for today's cybersecurity leaders. 🔒 Key topics:   ✅ Adapting to jurisdictional conflicts over data   ✅ Evolving ransomware strategies   ✅ Fostering a culture of security   ✅ Metrics that reveal cybersecurity success   ✅ The rising importance of CISO personal liability 📖 Read this month’s 5x5 to explore how these professionals are integrating security into business decision-making and balancing legal liabilities with operational priorities. https://lnkd.in/gWzfPMiZ  ---  The 5×5 series is a monthly cybersecurity expert series by the Cyber Statecraft Initiative (CSI), in which five featured experts answer five questions each on a common theme, trend, or current event in the world of cyber. You can read previous editions here: https://lnkd.in/e8y2Xtti    If you are interested in the 5×5 and want to contribute or see a particular topic, event, or question covered, please contact us at 📧 [email protected]. 

Get to know the Cyber Statecraft team! Our team has grown in the past few months and we're excited to introduce our new team members. Last, but certainly not least, we're excited to welcome our new Young Global Professional Emerson Johnston. Emerson Johnston (she/her) is a young global professional with the Cyber Statecraft Initiative, part of the Atlantic Council Tech Programs. Johnston is a second-year master’s student and Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University, where she is studying International Cyber Policy and Security. She is a first-generation college student and graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University, where she earned a dual Bachelor of Science in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics, and History, Culture, and Law. Emerson’s research interests lie at the intersection of national security and cybersecurity, focusing on topics such as the implications of digital infrastructure on global security, the role of cyber operations in contemporary warfare, and the challenges of safeguarding critical information systems against emerging threats. Her professional experience spans roles with the United States Department of State, HUMAN Cybersecurity, and in the US Intelligence Community, where she investigated and reported on the complexities of cyber policy and its impact on international security frameworks. In addition to her academic pursuits, Emerson serves as a Civil Affairs Specialist in the United States Army Reserve. Welcome, Emerson!

🎁 That's a wrap on the Qualifying round of the 9th Annual New York City, NY #Cyber912 Strategy Challenge! 🎁 Our expert 👨⚖️ judges 👩⚖️ whittled down our 24 competing teams to their top 12 teams moving through to the Semi-Final Round tomorrow. And they are: 🔷 Cloudestine Action of Patrick Henry College / Hoya Cyba of Georgetown University / Binary Bandits of Air University 🔶 Duke's Defenders of Duke University / Delogrand of United States Air Force Academy / Phish & Chips of Air University 🔷 Cyber Masters United of Carnegie Mellon University / Digital Diplomats of Columbia | SIPA / Golden CyberMules of United States Military Academy at West Point 🔶 buffal0v3rfl0w of University of Colorado Boulder/ Cameron Codebusters of Duke University / Hack to the Future of Air University Congratulations to our individual award winners: 🏅 Best Teamwork: APT Hunters of Middlesex College 🏅Best Decision Document: Cyber Masters United of Carnegie Mellon University 🏅Best Written Brief: Hoya Cyba of Georgetown University 🏅Best Oral Presentation: Digital Diplomats of Columbia | SIPA 🏅Most Creative Policy Response: buffal0v3rfl0w of University of Colorado Boulder 🎇 Congratulations to all our participating teams, and good luck to our Semi-Finalists tomorrow! Get some sleep, Intelligence Report II drops at 18:00 ET.

What's better than a Paris Olympic? 🤔 A Paris #Cyber912 of course! Registration is LIVE for #Cyber912 Paris held January 29-31, 2025 in partnership with GEODE - Géopolitique de la Datasphère. The Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge is an 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 where students and judges tackle realistic cyber crisis scenarios. 🔹 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧? All students—no matter your background or field of study! 💼🎓 🎯 Why should you participate? 💠 Take on thrilling challenges 💠 Build cyber skills 💠 Collaborate with peers from various disciplines 💠 Compete with international teams for prizes Register to compete or judge here: https://lnkd.in/e-x8V8EW

🔎 Looking for a paid and remote internship this Spring? Well, you're in luck because we're #hiring! 🌐 Apply to join the CSI team as a Young Global Professional (YGP) and support programming & research at the intersection of cybersecurity and geopolitics. Past YGPs have helped develop #Cyber912 scenarios, assist on research projects, and plan convenings for experts in the cyber policy community. 📜 Submit your materials by Sunday, November 10, 2024, at 11:59 pm ET for consideration. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/eqnfNJ6a

⚖ In a piece released by CSI earlier this year, Isabella Wright and Maia Hamin delved into 47 FTC enforcement actions related to unfair and deceptive cybersecurity practices since 2002, showing how these cases form useful foundation for the creation of cyber standards in the software liability context. ⛓ https://lnkd.in/eadbzjfB 🌐 CSI fellow Chinmayi Sharma and Alan Rozenshtein's recent article explores the capabilities and limitations various US agencies, including the FTC, to create more effective regulations in the context of AI liability. As AI continues to evolve, they write, the role of agencies in regulating this transformative technology will likely remain a dynamic and contested space, requiring ongoing adaptation and engagement from all stakeholders. ⛓ https://lnkd.in/eJ5BhCA2