18 Jul, 2023
Online
Update for the Least and Other Developing Countries about International Cybersecurity Processes
UNIDIR, ITU, and Diplo Foundation are hosting an informative online webinar tailored for technical professionals in cybersecurity, policy makers, and diplomats from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and other developing countries to better understand current cyber diplomacy discussions happening at the international level.
This webinar, organized under the Cyber for Good project, aims to empower cybersecurity professionals and policy makers in LDCs and other developing countries to better understand key issues pertaining to cyber diplomacy discussions, particularly the Open-ended Working Group on the security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (OEWG).
The session will focus on key agenda points of the OEWG, to equip participants with an understanding of the current implications of these discussions. The OEWG represents significant progress in international cooperation towards an open, secure, stable, accessible, and peaceful ICT environment.
Through improved awareness about the OEWG, this webinar aims to enable LDCs and other developing countries to make informed decisions on cyber diplomacy.
When and Where Tuesday, 18 July 2023 at 10:00 CEST.
The event will take place online.
Participants Delegations, cyber experts as well as members of the multistakeholder community including industry, civil society, and intergovernmental organizations are invited to participate in the webinar.
RSVP by 17 July 2023 to confirm your place at the webinar.
24 - 18 Jul, 2023
Side Events at the Fifth Substantive Session of the Open-ended Working Group on Security of and in the use of Information and Communications Technologies
Background
In 2020, the General Assembly established a five-year open-ended working group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021–2025. The group is mandated to further develop the rules, norms and principles of responsible behaviour of States; to consider initiatives of States aimed at ensuring security in the use of information and communications technologies; to establish, under the auspices of the United Nations, regular institutional dialogue with the broad participation of States; to continue to study, with a view to promote common understandings, existing and potential threats in the sphere of information security.
Side Events of the Fifth Substantive Session, 24-28 July 2023
Scenario-based discussions on cyber capacity building principles: protecting against harms and maximizing benefits
Date: Monday 24 July
Time: 0745-0930
Venue: Permanent Mission of the Netherlands, 666 3rd Ave 19th floor, New York, NY 10017, United States
Registration: Invite-only (prospective participants may email Amrit Swali (aswali@chathamhouse.org) and spaces will be allocated if available.)
How the Cybersecurity Multi-Donor Trust Fund Can Strengthen Cybersecurity Resilience
Date: Monday 24 July
Time: 1300-1430
Venue: Permanent Mission of Germany, 871 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, United States
Registration: Please register your participation by Friday, 21 July, COB by emailing: pol-s2-vn@newy.auswaertiges-amt.de
Protecting Global Internet Infrastructure: Multi-stakeholder dialogue
Date: Monday 24 July
Time: 1315-1430
Venue: UNHQ, Conference Room 8 and online (hybrid)
Registration: Please register here. Please specify in-person or virtual participation. Early registration is encouraged. UNIDIR is not able to facilitate UNHQ access passes. Link will be shared with registered participants one day prior to the event.
Decoding Emerging Threats: Ransomware and Prevention of Future Cyber Crises
Date: Monday 24 July
Time: 1315-1445
Venue: Permanent Mission of Estonia, 305 E 47th Street, 6th floor, New York, NY 10017, United States.
Registration: Invite-only (interested delegations may contact Louise Marie Hurel (LouiseH@rusi.org) and spaces will be allocated if available).
Technology Breakfast: Quantum and Cybersecurity
Date: Tuesday 25 July
Time: 0830-0930
Venue: UNHQ, Conference Room 8 and online (hybrid)
Registration: Please register here. Please specify in-person or virtual participation. Early registration is encouraged. UNIDIR is not able to facilitate UNHQ access passes. Link will be shared with registered participants one day prior to the event.
Promoting responsible use of commercial cyber capabilities
Date: Tuesday 25 July
Time: 0830-0945
Venue: UNHQ, Conference Room 11
Registration: Please register by 4pm Friday, 21 July at this link. The organizers are not in a position to facilitate UNHQ access passes.
Strengthening Inclusivity in Cybersecurity Policy and Strategies
Date: Tuesday 25 July
Time: 1300-1430
Venue: Permanent Mission of Germany, 871 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, United States
Registration: Delegations and prospective participants may RSVP by registering here by 23 July (midnight). Questions may be addressed to Alissa Frenkel (partnership.cybersecurity@giz.de) and spaces will be allocated if available.
Unpacking cyber capacity-building needs: From Research to Action
Date: Tuesday 25 July
Time: 1315-1430
Venue: UNHQ Conference Room 8 and online (hybrid)
Registration: Please register here. Please specify in-person or virtual participation. Early registration is encouraged. UNIDIR is not able to facilitate UNHQ access passes. Link will be shared with registered participants one day prior to the event.
Internet governance in the context of UNGA processes-- risks and opportunities for the OEWG, AHC, WSIS+20 and GDC
Date: Tuesday 25 July
Time: 1330-1445
Venue: UNHQ, Conference Room 11
Registration: RSVP to elizabeth.oluoch@icann.org
Workshop on the Human-Centric Approach to Cybersecurity in the Context of the OEWG
Date: Wednesday 26 July
Time: 1315-1445
Venue: EU Delegation to the UN, 666 3rd Ave, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10017, United States
Registration: Invite-only (Interested delegations may contact Agnese Olmati (agnese.olmati@iss.europa.eu) and spaces will be allocated if available).
Shaping Inclusive and Rights Respecting Cyber Norms: Toolkit and Lessons from Latin America
Date: Wednesday 26 July
Time: 1315-1430
Venue: UNHQ, Conference Room 7
Registration: Please register here. Global Partners Digital and partners are not able to facilitate UNHQ access passes.
Shaping the Cyber PoA: Initial Feedbacks from the Stakeholder Community
Date: Wednesday 26 July
Time: 1315-1430
Venue: One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, E 47th St, New York NY 10017, United States
Registration: If you wish to participate, please write at pablo.rice@parispeaceforum.org
17 Jul 2023
Online
Online Status Check of the Proposal for a UN Cyber Programme of Action
The Cyber Program of the Stimson Centre is hosting an online discussion about the proposal for a UN Cyber Programme of Action (PoA).
This online event is intended as a way for stakeholders to hear directly from the UN Secretariat about the current status of the cyber PoA – what has happened so far, what happens next? – in an effort to demystify and clarify the process. It will also be an opportunity for UNIDIR to provide a preliminary and informal overview of the inputs it has received and learn about initiatives to better coordinate amongst stakeholders. While the event is not closed to government representatives, preference will be given during the Q&A to non-governmental stakeholders.
Featured Speakers include: Katherine Prizeman, Political Affairs Officer, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs; Moliehi Makumane, Researcher, Security and Technology Division, UN Institute for Disarmament Research; and Jérôme Barbier, Head of Outer Space, Digital and Economic Issues, Paris Peace Forum.
21 -22 Jun 2023
Georgia Cybersecurity Forum 2023
At the Georgian Cybersecurity Forum, ministers, partners, and international expert panelists will come together to discuss regional considerations on:
1) Cyber Capacity Building
2) Challenges for Cyber Resilience Development
3) Global Cyber Threat Landscape
4) Cyber Diplomacy and International Cooperation
5) Black Sea Vision on Cybersecurity
6) Emerging Technologies and Cybersecurity
1 Jun, 2023
Hybrid (Geneva and Online)
Drawing Parallels: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective on the Cyber PoA Scope, Structure and Content
Drawing Parallels: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective on the Cyber PoA Scope, Structure and Content The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) is a one-day hybrid event dedicated to the multi-stakeholder community to gather their views on the scope, structure and content of the “Programme of Action to advance responsible State behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies in the context of international security” – (Cyber PoA).
The day will be divided in two sessions, providing an opportunity to discuss lessons from other comparable processes, the possible role of different stakeholders in the Cyber PoA as well as more practical inputs on key elements of the Cyber PoA based on the guiding questions provided by UNIDIR.
This event will complement the process mandated by UN General Assembly resolution A/C.1/77/L.73 on the Programme of Action for the UN Secretary General, to seek the views of Member States on the scope, structure and content for the programme of action; and for the Office for Disarmament Affairs to collaborate with relevant regional organizations whose members are also Member States of the United Nations to convene a series of consultations to share views on the Cyber PoA. A summary report of the event including a compendium of all written contributions from stakeholders will be prepared and released in time to support discussions of the First Committee during the 78th session of the General Assembly.
AGENDA
- 10:00-12:00 Session 1: Introduction Panel 1: Review of existing POAs – Lessons Learned and Best Practices //// Panel 2: Roles of Multi-stakeholders in the Cyber PoA – Civil society, Academia, Industry and NGOs
- 12:00-13:00 Lunch break
- 13:00-14:30 Session 2: Plenary discussion Scope of Cyber PoA Structure of Cyber PoA Content of Cyber PoA
- 14:30-15:00 Coffee break
- 15:00-16:00 Wrap-up and closing
Hybrid format: In-person (Geneva, Switzerland) and online.
6 - 7 June 2022
Online
Diversifying Cyber Diplomacy
This event will be hosted by the Department of Political and Social Sciences of the University of Bologna. The aim of the workshop is a) to bring together academia, think tanks and public and private institutions and b) to bring all the CYDIPLO network teachers and researchers together and will focus on issues including, gender issues in cyber security and diplomacy, perspectives from the global south, capacity building challenges in emerging cyberdiplomacy nations, non-traditional/non-western forms and approaches to cyberdiplomacy. As well as a series of roundtable discussions, the workshop will include talks from those actively involved in cyber diplomacy and leading academics in the field. Day 1 of the workshop will be open to the public and streamed. Day 2 will be for network researchers only and will discuss issues related to project management and development, focusing on planned deliverables such as Special Issue in an academic journal and the Handbook of Cyberdiplomacy, as well as developing teaching materials and training for the MOOC and handbook.
Outputs: The workshop will result in detailed plans for delivery of the planned Special Issue, lead to a) a workshop summary on the basis of which an issue brief on diversifying cyberdiplomacy will be published, b) help to develop the sections of the handbook pertaining to non-traditional, non-western, approaches to cyberdiplomacy, and will examine the role of countries and actors in the global south, c) discuss the material produced for the Special Issue.
Keynote speakers:
- Enrico Calandro (GFCE)
- Clare Hutchinson (NATO)
Program Day 1
- Welcome and introduction (10:30 CET)
- Keynote talk 1 – Enrico Calandro: Cyber diplomacy in Africa: challenges, priorities and perspectives (11:00)
- Roundtable 1 – Diversifying cyber diplomacy: gender issues (11:45)
- Roundtable 2 – Diversifying cyber diplomacy: South-North relations, norms contestation, and capacity-building (14:00)
- Roundtable 3 – Diversifying cyber diplomacy: cooperation or contestation? (15:30)
- Keynote talk 2 – Clare Hutchinson: Gender mainstreaming in cyber diplomacy (17:15)
Organisation
28 Apr, 2022
Online
Cyber Diplomacy Webinar Overview: “Priorities and perspectives on cyber diplomacy from Africa”
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM SAST/CET (UTC+2)
This webinar aims to assist in conceptualising cyber diplomacy in Africa through a multistakeholder approach. Recent discussions at the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) level saw the UN connecting cybersecurity with development. Cyber diplomacy includes efforts made by nations to shape, at the global level, the governance of cyberspace to prevent or penalise cyber operations. Since cyber diplomacy is at the centre of navigating challenges and negative consequences of digitalisation, it is becoming a priority also for African countries. Therefore, African nations need to include cyber diplomacy in their national development plans.
Building on what was agreed during the first OEWG, the panellists at the roundtable will discuss the following:
1. In what ways and to what degree are African nations participating in that debate?
2. Do African countries have enough capacity to meaningfully engage in cyber diplomacy? How can that capacity be built?
3. What are some of the priorities and positions of African countries in multilateral debates about cybersecurity?
4. What are the underlying assumptions upon which debates on peace and stability in cyberspace are predicated? Do they reflect the African reality on cyber stability and digital sovereignty?
5. Does the final report of the OEWG reflect African priorities on peace and stability in cyberspace? What else is needed?
6. Have civil society organisations from Africa been involved in these processes? What role can they play in cyber diplomacy?
10 Mar, 2022
Online
Community Talk #2 on Cyber Diplomacy, Season 2: Cyber attribution: it’s complicated (?)
Cyber attribution: it’s complicated (?)
A series of multi-stakeholder community talks on global cyber-issues is back soon with season 2. For season 2, our goal continues to focus on helping the private sector and technical community learn more about the UN cyber-dialogue (the UN OEWG), and how they could support UN Member States in maintaining international security and peace. We thus aim to close the gap that exists between different professionals in building cyber-stability.
Three simple questions to the experts will identify:
(i) How, conceptually, do the three dimensions – technical, legal and political – in cyber attribution intertwine with each other?
(ii) What are existing good practices in conducting cyber attribution (on all three ‘fronts’: technical, legal and political)?
(iii) What are the challenges and limitations in conducting cyber attribution, including making attribution public (on all three fronts)?
The Talk #2 titled as ‘Cyber attribution: it’s complicated (?)’ will feature the following great experts:
• Nathalie Jaarsma, Ambassador at-Large for Security and Cyber, the Kingdom of the Netherlands;
• Stefan Soesanto, Senior Cyber Defense Researcher, CSS/ETH Zurich
• Ivan Kwiatkowski, Senior Security Researcher, the Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT), Kaspersky; and
• Fabio Cristiano, Postdoctoral researcher at the Hague Program on International Cyber Security, the Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University, as a discussant.
What are the community talks?
A limited series of semi-formal discussions between diplomats, security researchers, technologists, academia, law enforcement professionals and all others who work to keep cyberspace stable and secure.
Organisation
22 Feb, 2022
Online
The Collective Approach to Sectorial Cybersecurity Challenges
The first cybersecurity conference in Africa and Arab region focused on collaborative cybersecurity and incident response.
Cybersecurity via collaborative and sectorial leadership is a winning strategy. Collaborative approach provides organisations with improved coordination and better sectorial incident handling due to specific sectorial context available. It also enables early warning signalling across the sector and attaining threat intelligence international communities.
This virtual conference will focus on collaborative cybersecurity approach - why it is important for financial sector organisations and what are the tactics for fostering it. One of the key presentation will be a case study - a real example on enhancing sectorial cybersecurity resilience. Also, you will hear what the benefits are of being a part of an international cybersecurity community and the true value of establishing a CSIRT or a SOC.
Agenda and registration link of the conference will follow soon. The conference is free of charge.
27th January 2022
Online
Report Launch “Putting Cyber Norms in Practice: Implementing the UN GGE 2015 recommendations through national strategies and policies”
3:00PM CET / 2:00PM UTC
The Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE) is pleased to launch the report “Putting Cyber Norms in Practice: Implementing the UN GGE 2015 recommendations through national strategies and policies". The report was written by Mika Kerttunen and Eneken Tikk, and was commissioned through the GFCE Global CCB Research Agenda mechanism.
The event will feature a presentation of findings, a panel discussion as well as a Q&A with the audience.
An advance copy of the report can be found here: https://cybilportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Putting-Cyber-Norms-in-Practice.pdf
30 Aug, 2021
Online
Cybersecurity and Human Rights
This event will offer an opportunity to discuss the applicability of the International Human Rights Framework in cyberspace. It will discuss the impact of digitalisation on a variety of rights, notably the right to freedom of expression and information, the right to association and assembly and the right to privacy – what have been done for their protection and why their applicability in cyberspace remains problematic. The session will also cover censorship, surveillance and the chilling effect as common breaches to human rights. The related exercises will include real-life examples emphasising the security impact these phenomena have on individuals and communities. The second part will focus on cybersecurity as a political concept and the impact that different definitions exercise on human rights. The conclusion will touch upon the state of Internet Governance, paying attention to the importance of a multistakeholder environment, and the current cybersecurity-related processes under the UN auspices.
9 Jul, 2021
Online
Cyber Polygon
Cyber Polygon is a unique cybersecurity event that combines the world’s largest technical training for corporate teams and an online conference featuring senior officials from international organisations and leading corporations.
Every year, the training brings together a wide range of global businesses and government structures while the live stream gathers millions of spectators from across the world.
Themes & Topics
- Cyber Security Policy and Strategy
- CBMs, Norms and Cyberdiplomacy
- Cyber Incident Management & Critical Information Protection
- National Computer Security Incident Response
- Critical Information Infrastructure Protection
- Cybercrime
- Cybercrime Training and Prevention
- Cyber Security Culture & Skills
- Cyber Security Awareness
- Education, Training & Workforce Development
Organisation
28 Apr, 2021
Online
Cybersecurity Workshop at DiEM25’s Alternative Security Conference
A workshop on how the threat of cyber-war can be mitigated and ended in the future and how such efforts should be grounded in international law.
Speakers: Allison Pytlak (Curator of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom), James Shires (Cybersecurity scholar and Assistant Professor at the University of Leiden) and Evelyne Tauchnitz (Senior Researcher at the ‘Lucerne Graduate School in Ethics’, specialisation on digital technologies, peace and conflict transformation).
Livestream link: https://youtu.be/SlXgXNEfCoE
22 Feb, 2021
Online
First Open Consultations and Multistakeholder Advisory Group Meeting (MAG)
In response to input from the IGF community a call for issues was launched in December 2020 with a deadline of 31 January 2021. Over 230 responses produced a set of issues. Some were indeed specific which is what was hoped for. These were clustered into seven areas and then prioritised by the MAG. After reviewing the issues and following the goals for a more focused IGF, it was decided on two main focus areas and four cross-cutting and emerging issue areas. This ‘issue-driven’ approach allowed to work with fewer issues treated in greater depth.
Following the advice of the MAG Working Group on IGF Strengthening and Strategy, that the “greater impact can be achieved by dealing with fewer policy issues in greater depth, making sure that relevant stakeholders participate in discussing these issues, and that the outcomes of the discussions are communicated effectively and strategically”, the issue-driven approach is expected to facilitate the creation of more focused and structured IGF outputs, including the “key messages”.
The MAG identified two 'baskets of issues': a ‘main focus area’ with only two issue areas, and an ‘emerging and cross cutting issue’ basket with four issue areas. This is intended to enable a more focused IGF, while at the same time keeping the IGF open for new and emerging issues and to give participants choice. A rough allocation of time/percentage of sessions has been proposed for each basket but MAG members felt that allocation within each basket should be flexible. A final decision on allocation of time/sessions can be made at a later stage, taking the quality and nature of proposals into account.
Organisers of the High-level Leaders and Parliamentary Tracks will be invited to also focus on these issue areas. NRIs, BPFs, DCs and PNs will also be invited to consider addressing these issues.
2021 IGF Main focus areas (outcome focused) with 60% estimated time allocation
- Economic and social inclusion and human rights
- Universal access and meaningful connectivity
2021 IGF Emerging and Cross-cutting issues (discussion driven) with 40% estimated time allocation
- Emerging regulation: market structure, content, data and consumer/users rights regulation
- Environmental sustainability and climate change
- Inclusive IG ecosystems and digital cooperation
- Trust, security, stability
13 Apr, 2021
Online
Water and Cyber Security: Protection of Critical Water-Related Infrastructure, Part II
The online event "Water and Cyber Security - Protection of Critical Water-related Infrastructure, part II" will take place on Tuesday, 13 April 2021 at 14:00-17:00 (CEST). The event is organized by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Slovenia to UNOG in Geneva, the Permanent Mission of Israel to UNOG in Geneva, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Microsoft.
The meeting will bring together experts from different countries, international organizations and the private sector to explore enhancements on implementation of SDG6 and SDG16 of the Agenda 2030. It will reaffirm commitment to multilateralism in the area of new challenges regarding water. To face these challenges, we need a networked multilateralism, strengthening coordination among multilateral and regional organizations; and an inclusive multilateralism, based on deep interaction with civil society, businesses, local and regional authorities and other stakeholders. Participants will explore possible practical follow-up to facilitate the exchange of information and best practices, and to discuss the implications of international law.
