Recent analysis

Behind the rise of ransomware

Report Jun 25, 2025

Crash (exploit) and burn: Securing the offensive cyber supply chain to counter China in cyberspace 

By Winnona DeSombre Bernsen

If the United States wishes to compete in cyberspace, it must compete against China to secure its offensive cyber supply chain.
China Cybersecurity
Behind the rise of ransomware

New Atlanticist Jun 5, 2025

Cyberattacks are hurting US businesses. Here’s how Congress can upgrade cybersecurity information sharing.

By Tanner Wilburn, Sara Ann Brackett, and Urmita Chowdhury

Hackers are targeting small and medium-sized businesses, and the existing framework for sharing important information is leaving these US companies out of the loop.
Cybersecurity Economy & Business
Behind the rise of ransomware

Russia Tomorrow May 20, 2025

Unpacking Russia’s cyber nesting doll

By Justin Sherman

The latest report in the Atlantic Council’s Russia Tomorrow series explores Russia’s wartime cyber operations and broader cyber web.
Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Programs

The Atlantic Council Technology Programs comprises five existing efforts—the Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), the GeoTech Center, the Cyber Statecraft Initiative, the Democracy + Tech Initiative, and the Capacity Building Initiative. These operations work together to address the geopolitical implications of technology and provide policymakers and global stakeholders necessary research, insights, and convenings to address challenges around global technology and ensure its responsible advancement.

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Content

Issue Brief

Aug 2, 2022

Behind the rise of ransomware

By John Sakellariadis

Between 2016 and 2019, cybercriminals shifted from automated ransomware campaigns that emphasized scale to targeted extortion operations against organizations. This adaption made ransomware more disruptive and more profitable, culminating in the 2021 surge in ransomware. Though the US government has devoted more attention to ransomware since 2021, ransomware remains a significant and long-term threat to the US economy.

Cybersecurity

UkraineAlert

Jul 27, 2022

Ukraine’s tech excellence is playing a vital role in the war against Russia

By Valeriya Ionan

Ukraine's tech sector excellence is playing a key role in the war against Russia by providing rapid solutions to frontline challenges in ways that the more traditional top-down Russian military simply cannot match. 

Conflict
Cybersecurity

In the News

Jul 26, 2022

Panikoff in DefenseOne: Pass the CHIPS Act

By Atlantic Council

Americas
Cybersecurity

Report

Jul 25, 2022

Cybersecure the future: Ransomware

By Trent Teyema, Kiran S. Jivnani, David Bray

This report endeavors to examine key challenges in predicting, safeguarding against, and dealing with ransomware attacks, thereby better informing US and international policy to combat such attacks and their perpetrators.

Cybersecurity
Technology & Innovation

Conflict, Risk, and Tech

Jul 25, 2022

Hackers, Hoodies, and Helmets: Technology and the changing face of Russian private military contractors

By Emma Schroeder, Gavin Wilde, Justin Sherman, and Trey Herr

This issue brief explores the technological capabilities of Russian private military companies and how they are used across various types of missions in support of and in parallel with Russian policy.

Africa
Cybersecurity
cyber threats, energy transition

Report

Jul 12, 2022

Securing the energy transition against cyber threats

By the Atlantic Council Task Force on Cybersecurity and the Energy Transition

This report recommends a suite of key actions that government can take to shore up the US energy sector against future cybersecurity threats.

Cybersecurity
Energy & Environment

In the News

Jul 11, 2022

Missing Key report cited in PanaTimes on CBDC trials using untested security protocols

Read the full article here.

Caribbean
China

In the News

Jul 5, 2022

Cary quoted in Bloomberg: Shanghai Data Breach Exposes Dangers of China’s Trove

On July 5, 2022, Global China Hub fellow Dakota Cary was quoted in a Bloomberg article titled, “Shanghai Data Breach Exposes Dangers of China’s Trove”. “The PRC government is likely in crisis mode right now. It seems obvious to ask why Shanghai MPS needed access to all this data, but this is the exact system […]

China
Cybersecurity

UkraineAlert

Jul 3, 2022

Investing in Ukraine’s brains is vital for the country’s post-war prosperity

By Gerson S. Sher

International support for the development of Ukraine's education and tech sectors could hold the key to a strong and sovereign Ukrainian state once the current war with Putin's Russia is over, writes Gerson S. Sher.

Conflict
Cybersecurity

In the News

Jul 1, 2022

Nikoladze cited in Foundation for the Defense of Democracies on cybersecurity export controls

Read the full article here.

Cybersecurity
Economic Sanctions
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Experts

Staff

Nitansha Bansal

Assistant director

Cyber Statecraft Initiative

Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity

Fellow

Tyson Barker

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Europe Center

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Millennium fellow

Dan Black

Principal Threat Analyst, NATO

Millennium Leadership Program

Cybersecurity Intelligence

Fellow

Joseph T. Bonivel Jr.

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Cybersecurity Defense Technologies

Fellow

Kevin P. Chilton

Distinguished Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Cybersecurity Defense Industry

Fellow

Danny Citrinowicz  

Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Cybersecurity
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