In today’s information society, data and information replace the traditional resources for conducting war: coal and steel. Preventing conflicts revolving around these new resources demands greater cooperation and transparency. Until recently, coal and steel were critical raw materials for the economy and the basis for waging wars. It was coal and steel that brought European countries together in 1951 to …
Do We Need an EU Cybersecurity Rating Agency?
As companies get ever more concerned about the cybersecurity standards of their suppliers, they are looking for a cheap and easy way to establish whether they can trust another company. Audits are time-consuming and expensive, but a number of new companies offer so-called outside-in cybersecurity ratings that promise to provide an accurate appraisal of IT security standards through a mixture …
When Sovereignty Leads and Cyber Law Follows
The Network and Information Security Directive (NIS Directive) is one of the most important pieces of cyber legislation in the EU. Only four years after its entry into force, the European Commission is expected to table a revision of this cyber law by the end of the year. This is an excellent moment to consider this revision in the context …
Making Europe’s Digital Decade Global
Europe’s plan to become a global digital leader will disappoint unless it is truly global and backed by a clear vision.
Privacy and Europe’s Cyber Leadership
Although the US and the EU have been running mates in the international cybersecurity race, Europe has been a rather silent partner in this campaign. A recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) underlines the unique features of European cyber power. The Privacy Shield verdict is a reminder that Europe is not like Russia. It is not like China. And it is not like the United States either.
Deterrence: A Naked Emperor
Researchers do not agree whether, when or how deterrence works. It is a risky policy that does not provide any predictability of behaviour, to which the European Union should not subscribe. The EU should instead develop stronger, multi-layered resilience in and for Europe. Such a policy would be protective rather than threatening, persuasive rather than dissuasive, defensive rather than deterring and active rather than opportunist.
The Geopolitics of Social Media
Banning social media platforms becomes a piece of the geopolitical puzzle which might ultimately undermine digital rights online.
The Geopolitics of the Internet of Things
The EU’s data and AI strategies assume that increasing trust will increase data generation, bolstering the Union’s competitiveness in the AI field. But an inherent conflict exists between the goals of data-driven innovation and data protection. Like any significant technological shift, the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) raises many issues of geopolitical and strategic significance. These issues reflect …
COVID-19 and Cybersecurity in the Asia Pacific
As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced organizations around the globe to shift to remote work, cyberattackers have taken advantage of vulnerabilities in the new IT environment to launch ransomware and phishing campaigns. The healthcare sector has been especially targeted. In the Asia-Pacific in particular, the healthcare sector is lacking in cybersecurity savvy, making global cybersecurity collaboration more important now than ever.
Fighting Disinformation with Imagination
Disinformation and foreign influence operations are no longer just threatening the political, economic and social foundations of our societies. As the spread of COVID-19-related disinformation has shown, they can now also cause direct harm and cost human lives. As global efforts to counter disinformation grow, it’s time to seriously discuss possible consequences for those behind it.