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

New Atlanticist

Oct 12, 2022

Experts react: The hits and misses in Biden’s new National Security Strategy

By Atlantic Council experts

We put the call out to our experts from across the Atlantic Council: Does this document deliver? What does it get right and what’s missing?

Middle East
National Security

The 5×5

Sep 28, 2022

The 5×5—The Internet of Things and national security

By Simon Handler

Five experts from various backgrounds assess the national security challenges posed by IoT and discuss potential solutions.

Cybersecurity
Digital Policy

Report

Sep 26, 2022

Security in the billions: Toward a multinational strategy to better secure the IoT ecosystem

By Patrick Mitchell, Liv Rowley, and Justin Sherman with Nima Agah, Gabrielle Young, and Tianjiu Zuo

The explosion of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and services worldwide has amplified a range of cybersecurity risks to individuals’ data, company networks, critical infrastructure, and the internet ecosystem writ large. In light of this systemic risk, this report offers a multinational strategy to enhance the security of the IoT ecosystem. It provides a framework for a clearer understanding of the IoT security landscape and its needs, looks to reduce fragmentation between policy approaches, and seeks to better situate technical and process guidance into cybersecurity policy.

Cybersecurity
Internet of Things

Tech at the Leading Edge

Sep 22, 2022

Assumptions and hypotheticals: Second edition

By Emma Schroeder

In the second “Assumptions and Hypotheticals,” we explore various topics, including the cyber sovereignty debate, the question of an attribution threshold, and the utility of cyber tools in crisis escalation.

Cybersecurity

Conflict, Risk, and Tech

Sep 19, 2022

Untangling the Russian web: Spies, proxies, and spectrums of Russian cyber behavior 

By Justin Sherman

This issue brief analyzes the range of Russian government’s involvement with different actors in the large, complex, and often opaque cyber web, as well as the risks and benefits the Kremlin perceives or gets from leveraging actors in this group. The issue brief concludes with three takeaways and actions for policymakers in the United States, as well as in allied and partner countries.

Cybersecurity
Russia

Blog Post

Sep 15, 2022

Policy hackers take Vegas

By Will Loomis, Safa Shahwan Edwards, Trey Herr, Stewart Scott, and Sarah Powazek

Every year, in the early August heat, thousands of hackers from around the world head to Las Vegas, Nevada for a series of cybersecurity conferences known as Hacker Summer Camp. This year, the Cyber Statecraft Initiative – and a few friends – decided to ship out to see what all the hype is about.

Cybersecurity

Report

Sep 14, 2022

Dragon tails: Preserving international cybersecurity research

By Stewart Scott, Sara Ann Brackett, Yumi Gambrill, Emmeline Nettles, Trey Herr

A quantitative study on whether legal context can impact the supply of vulnerability research with detrimental effects for cybersecurity writ large through the coordinated vulnerability disclosure process (CVD), using recent regulations in China as a case study.

China
Cybersecurity

The 5×5

Aug 15, 2022

The 5×5—The US-Japan-South Korea trilateral cybersecurity relationship

By Simon Handler

Five experts share their insights on the future of US-Japan-South Korea trilateral cybersecurity cooperation.

Cybersecurity
East Asia

Feature

Aug 5, 2022

Operational technology: Cloudy, with a chance of data 

By Emma Schroeder

In the second episode of The Cyber Moonshot, we again follow Neymar, Zafira, and Ernest in a quaint little food court on the surface of the moon. Follow along in their journey to understand the operational technology-cloud convergence and track down the path of the malware that has infected their port – before it becomes a permanent winter wonderland!

Cyber 9/12 Project

Aug 3, 2022

2022 Washington, DC Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge Playbook

Rockshot, Standingpalm, Software, Shoot! Scenario Summary Intelligence Report I Intelligence Report I Recommendations Intelligence Report II Intelligence Report II Recommendations Intelligence Report III Intelligence Report III Briefings Intelligence Report III Recommendations Scenario Summary In November 2022, while Qatar was hosting the , staff at the noticed a water-cooling issue within the plant. The staff managed […]

Cybersecurity

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

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