An Inquiry on Spyware in the EU Revealed Abuses by Member States. Now What?

Without binding action from the European Commission, recommendations to safeguard the use of spyware and regulate its trade will be ignored—at Europe’s peril.

By Sophie in’t Veld, Rapporteur of the PEGA Report and Former Member of the European Parliament

Spyware’s Human Toll: Cyber Mercenaries Inflict ‘Enormous Harms’ on Their Targets

Q&As with CARINE KANIMBA, activist, and DR. RON DEIBERT, founder and director of The Citizen Lab

‘Ground-Game Diplomacy’ Key to Fighting Misuse of Commercial Spyware Globally

A Q&A with NATHANIEL FICK, former U.S. Ambassador for Cyber Diplomacy and Digital Policy

Digital Weapons for Sale: Countering the Growing Cyber Mercenary Market

Industry partners and governments must work hand-in-hand to protect citizens and critical infrastructure from malicious actors.

By Amy Hogan Burney, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Customer Security & Trust, Microsoft

Mercenary Spies and Private Eyes: New Cyber Threats Require New Partnerships

Cyberspace has no borders, and it is only by working with our international partners to uphold and strengthen the rule of law in cyberspace that we can ensure our security.

By Stephen Doughty, UK Minister of State for Europe, North America, and Overseas Territories

Hackers for Hire

Confronting the Growing Market for Cyber Mercenaries

By FP Analytics

Lessons from Ukraine in the Heat of an Ongoing Hybrid War

Ukraine has been building up its digital defense for the past decade—preparation that is now paying off.

By Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister, Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technologies of Ukraine

Cyber Attribution Is Critical to Ensuring Accountability

As cyberattacks become increasingly common, calling out perpetrators is fundamental to imposing sanctions and taking countermeasures.

By Chris Inglis, Former U.S. National Cyber Director

Tech Companies Are Fighting for Ukraine. But Will They Help Save Lives in Other Global Conflicts?

Social networks and tech corporations have become significant actors in hybrid warfare, but much work is needed to determine how they can contribute to the broader efforts of preventing and resolving deadly conflicts.

By Dr. Comfort Ero, President and CEO of the International Crisis Group

The Face of Modern Hybrid Warfare

Russia has aligned its cyber, military, and information operations in an unprecedented campaign.

By Tom Burt, Corporate Vice President, Customer Security and Trust, Microsoft

Cyber Resilience Helps Democracies Prevail Against Authoritarian Disinformation Campaigns

The key is to mitigate attacks on communications systems and unmask attempts to corrupt the information environment.

By Annie Fixler, Director, Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, FDD

The Evolution of Cyber Operations in Armed Conflict

The digital domain is increasingly a battleground for state and nonstate actors who are leveraging capabilities in cyberspace to advance strategic geopolitical goals.

By FP Analytics

Strategies for Reconciling International Humanitarian Law and Cyber Operations

A Q&A with DR. PETER MAURER, President of the Basel Institute on Governance

A Proactive Approach to the Cyber Domain Strengthens NATO’s Deterrence and Defense Posture

Responding to the growing threat of hostile cyber operations requires a mindset shift toward greater civilian–military cooperation as well as more engagement with the private sector.

By David van Weel, Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges at NATO

Tracing Cyberattacks in Times of Conflict: The Hard Path to Cyber Peace

Transparency and rigorous data collection are essential to credibly tracking cyber operations during the Russia–Ukraine war— as are being neutral and facilitating redress for all victims.

By Stéphane Duguin, CEO of the CyberPeace Institute

Developers Collaborate to Secure Software Ecosystem Amid Digital Threats

The war in Ukraine has shown that the tech industry has a meaningful role to play in enabling developers to strengthen defenses from cyberattacks.

By Shelley McKinley, Chief Legal Officer of GitHub

Detect, Disrupt, Deter: The Multistakeholder Threat-Disruption Model

The tech industry was first to push back as cyber mercenaries launched influence operations, malware development, and espionage, but governments are catching up.

By David Agranovich, Director of Threat Disruption at Meta

Cross-Cutting Responses to Strengthen Ukraine’s Digital Resilience

How various international stakeholders have worked together to mitigate cyberattacks in the ongoing hybrid war.

By FP Analytics

A Multisector Approach to Tackling the Threats of Emerging Technologies on Defense Systems

A Q&A with AMBASSADOR BONNIE JENKINS, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security

U.N. Responsibilities in the Digital Age

A Q&A with IZUMI NAKAMITSU, U.N. Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs

Technology Will Not Exceed Our Humanity

We must renew our efforts to ensure that justice is not outpaced by the changing character of war.

By Karim A.A. Khan KC, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court

How Russia Makes Friends and Influences Audiences in Latin America 

Russia’s success in establishing and maintaining a media foothold in Latin America highlights how important worldwide influence campaigns are to hybrid warfare.

By Clint Watts, General Manager of the Microsoft Threat Analysis Center

The Proliferation of Cyber Mercenaries Calls for New Definitions and Updated Laws

A Q&A with PETER MICEK, General Counsel and U.N. Policy Manager at Access Now

Keeping Civilians Off-Limits in Present and Future Wars

Civilians must be protected from—and should not participate in—military cyber operations.

By Dr. Cordula Droege, Chief Legal Officer of the International Committee of the Red Cross

Cybersecurity in Outer Space

A Q&A with AMBASSADOR SORIN DUCARU, Director of the European Union Satellite Centre (SatCen)

Lessons from Estonia’s Whole-of-Society Approach to Cyber Defense

A Q&A with HANNO PEVKUR, the Minister of Defense of Estonia

Strategies to Deter and Respond to Cyber Operations in Conflict

International cooperation is integral to solve key challenges and reduce socioeconomic and geopolitical risks.

By FP Analytics

The Role of International Justice in Cyber Defense and Deterrence

Holding perpetrators accountable for international crimes, including those committed through cyber-enabled means, is a critical element of an effective global response to cyber threats.

By Lindsay Freeman, Director of Technology, Law, and Policy, Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley School of Law

In Cyberspace, Deterrence Strategies Require Collective and Consistent Action

In a dynamic threat environment, establishing consequences will be key to protecting critical infrastructure and stabilizing cyberspace.

By Anne Neuberger, Deputy National Security Advisor for Cyber and Emerging Technologies, United States

Cyber Deterrence: A Technological and Geopolitical Challenge

Industry and governments are stepping up as more is needed to meet the moment.

By Tom Burt, Corporate Vice President, Customer Security and Trust, Microsoft

By James Paterson, Senator and Shadow Minister for Cyber Security, Australia