The Cyber Statecraft Initiative works at the nexus of geopolitics, technology, and security to craft strategies to help shape the conduct of statecraft and to better inform and secure users. This work extends through the competition of state and non-state actors, the security of the internet and computing systems, the safety of operational technology and physical systems, and the communities of cyberspace. The Initiative convenes a diverse network of passionate and knowledgeable contributors, bridging the gap among technical, policy, and user communities.

Our work

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.

Team

Fellows

Publications

The 5×5

Oct 23, 2024

The 5×5—The evolving role of CISOs and senior cybersecurity executives

By Nitansha Bansal

For this Cybersecurity Awareness Month, senior cybersecurity executives share their insights into the evolution of their roles.

Cybersecurity

Report

Sep 4, 2024

Mythical Beasts and where to find them: Mapping the global spyware market and its threats to national security and human rights

By Jen Roberts, Trey Herr, Nitansha Bansal, and Nancy Messieh, with Emma Taylor, Jean Le Roux, and Sopo Gelava

The Mythical Beasts project pulls back the curtain on the connections between 435 entities across forty-two countries in the global spyware market.

Cybersecurity

Conflict, Risk, and Tech

Sep 4, 2024

Mythical Beasts and where to find them: Data and methodology

By Jen Roberts, Trey Herr, Nitansha Bansal, and Nancy Messieh, with Emma Taylor, Jean Le Roux, and Sopo Gelava

Learn more about the methodology and dataset behind Mythical Beasts and where to find them: Mapping the global spyware market and its threats to national security and human rights

Cybersecurity

Report

Sep 4, 2024

Mythical Beasts and where to find them

By Jen Roberts, Trey Herr, Nitansha Bansal, and Nancy Messieh, with Emma Taylor, Jean Le Roux, and Sopo Gelava

Mythical Beasts and Where to Find Them: Mapping the Global Spyware Market and its Threats to National Security and Human Rights is concerned with the commercial market for spyware and provides data on market participants.

Cybersecurity

Issue Brief

Aug 19, 2024

AI in cyber and software security:  What’s driving opportunities and risks?

By Maia Hamin, Jennifer Lin, Trey Herr

This issue brief discusses the drivers of evolving risks and opportunities presented by generative artificial intelligence (GAI), particularly in cybersecurity, while acknowledging the broader implications for policymakers and for national security.

Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity

GeoTech Cues

Aug 6, 2024

The Great IT Outage of 2024 is a wake-up call about digital public infrastructure

By Saba Weatherspoon and Zhenwei Gao

The July 19 outage serves as a symbolic outcry for solution-oriented policies and accountability to stave off future disruptions.

Cybersecurity Internet

Issue Brief

Jul 29, 2024

Russia’s digital tech isolationism: Domestic innovation, digital fragmentation, and the Kremlin’s push to replace Western digital technology

By Justin Sherman

Russia’s technological isolation is both a reality and a desired goal for Moscow. This piece explores the impacts of this phenomenon and offers recommendations for how to deal with that evolving digital ecosystem.

Cybersecurity Internet

Issue Brief

Jul 24, 2024

OT cyber policy: The Titanic or the iceberg

By Danielle Jablanski

Current policy does not address the issue of cyber-physical security with a systemic approach, instead focusing with tunnel vision on specific events. This analysis uses the iceberg model for systems thinking to address policy gaps in the OT ecosystem, detailing recommendations for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Cybersecurity

Issue Brief

Jul 1, 2024

The impact of corruption on cybersecurity: Rethinking national strategies across the Global South  

By Robert Peacock

As the Global South prepares for the next stage in ICT development, governments must prioritize policies that reduce corruption in critical network software procurement to protect those countries’ developing cyberspace.

Corruption Cybersecurity

Report

Jun 24, 2024

User in the middle: An interoperability and security guide for policymakers

By Maia Hamin, Alphaeus Hanson

When technologies work together, it benefits users and the digital ecosystem. Policymakers can advance interoperability and security in tandem by understanding how each impacts the other.

Events


The Atlantic Council’s Cyber Statecraft Initiative, part of the Atlantic Council Technology Programs, works at the nexus of geopolitics and cybersecurity to craft strategies to help shape the conduct of statecraft and to better inform and secure users of technology.

Licensing CSI Graphics

All original graphics created by the Cyber Statecraft Initiative (CSI) are available for re-use under the following conditions:

  • Written permission must be granted by CSI.
  • Graphics may be copied and distributed in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommerical purposes, and only so long as attribution is given.1Language based on Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
  • The attribution must reference the Cyber Statecraft Initiative and include a link to the content.
  • CSI cannot grant permission for the use of images or graphics licensed from third parties.