Stay ConnectedCSIS looks at how rapidly changing technology and cybersecurity are affecting the world in the twenty-first century. Issues covered include intelligence, surveillance, encryption, privacy, military technology, space, and more. Programs leading the research on this topic include the Strategic Technologies Program and the International Security Program.
Find the latest research from our scholars and CSIS events on this topic below.
Copyright: All content © 2021 Center for Strategic and International Studies
Digital technologies are creating new challenges for law enforcement agencies around the world. Cybercrime is proliferating due to the growing sophistication of online criminal networks and the difficulties of trans-national enforcement. Investigations of traditional crimes are also becoming more difficult as encryption, ephemerality, and other technical measures create obstacles for accessing digital evidence. This event will examine how global cooperation can help to address these issues in a way that ensures a balance between the protection of civil liberties and the needs of the law enforcement community.
2:15 pm - Registration
2:30 pm - Keynote
Ferdinand Grapperhaus, Dutch Minister of Justice and Security
2:50 pm - Moderated Panel Discussion
Moderated by Catherine Lotrionte, Senior Associate, CSIS Technology Policy Program
3:20 pm - Audience Q&A
3:50 pm - Closing Thoughts
4:00 pm - END
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
On this episode of The Technology Policy Podcast, Jim Lewis sits down with David Hanke, one of the intellectual architects of the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA). FIRRMA strengthened and modernized the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) in order to better address the national security concerns associated with certain foreign investment transactions. They discuss Hanke’s work on FIRRMA as a lead policy advisor to Sen. John Cornyn; the importance of robust foreign investment review and export control policies for the 21st century to safeguard America's innovative and technological advantages; prospects for export control reforms that cover emerging technologies; and the United States' complex and evolving relationship with China.
By: Bonnie S. Glaser
This episode explores Europe’s evolving approach toward including Chinese telecommunications companies in its 5G infrastructure. Our guest, Dr. Janka Oertel, explains the security risks behind allowing Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE to supply 5G technology to Europe, as well as the potential economic and political risks of shutting them out. Dr. Oertel also describes how Europe’s attitude toward Chinese technology differs from other countries like the US and Japan, and assesses the feasibility of Europe putting forth a uniform policy on 5G security.
Dr. Janka Oertel is a senior fellow in the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States’ Berlin office. Dr. Oertel primarily works on transatlantic China policy, Chinese foreign policy, and security in East Asia. She holds a PhD from the University of Jena, focusing on Chinese policies within the United Nations.
Steve Grobman is Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at McAfee.
In this role, he sets the technical strategy and direction to create technologies that protect smart, connected computing devices and infrastructure worldwide. Grobman leads McAfee’s development of next generation cyber-defense and data science technologies, threat and vulnerability research and internal CISO and IT organizations. Prior to joining McAfee, he dedicated more than two decades to senior technical leadership positions related to cybersecurity at Intel Corporation where he was an Intel Fellow. He has written numerous technical papers and books and holds 27 U.S. patents. He earned his bachelor's degree in computer science from North Carolina State University.
, Jeanette ManfraAssistant Director for Cybersecurity, Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
Ms. Manfra leads the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) mission of protecting and strengthening the nation’s critical infrastructure from cyber threats. Previously, Ms. Manfra served as Assistant Secretary for the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications (CS&C) for the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) before the agency became CISA on November 16, 2018. Prior to this position, Ms. Manfra served as Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Cybersecurity and Director for Strategy, Policy, and Plans for NPPD. Ms. Manfra also served as Senior Counselor for Cybersecurity to the Secretary of Homeland Security and Director for Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity on the National Security Council staff at the White House. At DHS, she held multiple positions in the Cybersecurity Division, including advisor for the Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications and Deputy Director, Office of Emergency Communications, during which time she led the Department’s efforts in establishing the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. Before joining DHS, Jeanette served in the U.S. Army as a communications specialist and a Military Intelligence Officer.
, Matt TurekProgram Manager, Information Innovation Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
Dr. Matt Turek joined DARPA’s Information Innovation Office (I2O) as a program manager in July 2018. His research interests include computer vision, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and their application to problems with significant societal impact. Prior to his position at DARPA, Turek was at Kitware, Inc., where he led a team developing computer vision technologies. His research focused on multiple areas, including large scale behavior recognition and modeling; object detection and tracking; activity recognition; normalcy modeling and anomaly detection; and image indexing and retrieval. Turek has made significant contributions to multiple DARPA and Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) efforts and has transitioned large scale systems for operational use. Before joining Kitware, Turek worked for GE Global Research, conducting research in medical imaging and industrial inspection. Turek holds a Doctor of Philosophy in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Master of Science in electrical engineering from Marquette University, and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Clarkson University. His doctoral work focused on combinatorial optimization techniques for computer vision problems. Turek is a co-inventor on 14 patents and co-author of multiple publications, primarily in computer vision.
Moderated by James A. Lewis, SVP & Director, CSIS Technology Policy Program
1:45PM - Registration Opens
2:00PM - Speaker Introductions
2:05PM - Opening Remarks
2:20PM - Moderated Discussion...
There are deep interconnections between the U.S. and Chinese economies, and China has built its technology base on what it has acquired from the West. China’s government and some Chinese companies will use any means, legal or illegal, to acquire technology. The United States’ relationship with China cannot continue unchanged, but given the interconnections, change must be managed carefully. This event will focus on how the U.S. can modernize its technology transfer policies to manage risks without damaging American innovation.
Michael Brown, Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, U.S. Department of Defense
With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin and at the Pentagon, DIU’s mission is to accelerate the adoption of commercial technology into the military and access and stimulate the national security innovation base. Previously, Michael served two years (2016-2018) as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow at the Defense Department. He is the co-author of a Pentagon study on China’s participation in the U.S. venture ecosystem, a catalyst for the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA) providing expanded jurisdiction to CFIUS. Additionally, he led the initiative for a new Defense Department-sponsored investment vehicle, National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC) to fund dual-use hardware technology companies.
Eileen M. Albanese, Director, Office of National Security and Technology Transfer Controls, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce
Eileen Albanese is the Director of the Office of National Security and Technology Transfer Controls (NSTIC). NSTTC is responsible within the Bureau of Industry and Security for issues related to national security export and reexport controls. Previously, Ms. Albanese served as the Director of the Office of Exporter Services (OExS). She entered the Department of Commerce in 1976 to work in the International Trade Administration on the Tokyo Round of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations. She holds a B.A. in International Affairs from the George Washington University.
David Hanke, Partner, Arent Fox LLP
Dave’s practice centers on matters involving the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and emerging technologies. He previously spent 12 years on Capitol Hill, serving in a variety of national security staff positions, and three years on active duty in the U.S. Army. While at the Senate Intelligence Committee, Dave was the primary staff architect of Sen. John Cornyn’s Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA), the most sweeping overhaul of CFIUS’s processes and jurisdiction in its 44-year existence.
Thomas Feddo, Assistant Secretary for Investment Security, U.S. Department of Treasury.
Mr. Feddo serves as the county’s first assistant secretary of the Treasury for investment security, overseeing national security reviews undertaken by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Prior to his current position, Mr. Feddo served as the U.S. Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary for Investment Security, and as a partner at Alston & Bird working in their International Trade & Regulatory Group.
Moderated by
James A. Lewis, SVP and Director, CSIS Technology Policy Program
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
By: Bonnie S. Glaser
This episode explores the landscape of China’s civilian and commercial space efforts in recent years. Our guest, Dr. Alanna Krolikowski, analyzes China’s recent achievements in space, including the landing of a rover on the far side of the moon and the first successful launch of a satellite by a private Chinese company. She also examines the relationship between the government, state-owned enterprises, and private companies in China’s space industry and how the growing civilian sector fits into China’s larger space ambitions.
Dr. Alanna Krolikowski is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. Her research focuses on global policy efforts relating to activities at technological frontiers, including outer space, U.S.-China trade in high-technology items, and China’s pursuit of national scientific and technological modernization.
The CSIS Technology Policy Program invites you to a discussion and release of a new report on the state of China's AI innovation ecosystem.
Around the world policymakers have recognized the critical importance of AI to economic growth and competitiveness, as well as national power. Few countries have embraced this view as fervently as China. China sees an opportunity to catapult itself into a position of global leadership in the AI age. The world has taken notice. AI has taken center stage in the “technology cold war” between the United States and China, and the “AI race” between them has become a central theme in global debates around the future of emerging technologies. Please join us for an interactive discussion with senior experts on the state of the Chinese AI ecosystem, and how the U.S. should respond to China’s progress in AI.
This report launch is part of the China Innovation Policy Series, and made possible by support from our partners: Microsoft Corporation, the General Electric Foundation, the United States Chamber of Commerce, the Semiconductor Industry Association, and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
The United States is deeply concerned about China’s economic rise for both economic and national security reasons. An implicit assumption of this concern is the view that China’s state–led innovation system is a successful alternative to the more market-driven system in the United States and the West. To what extent is this assumption correct? Leading China economists Loren Brandt (University of Toronto) and Thomas Rawski (University of Pittsburgh) present the findings from their latest book, Policy, Regulation, and Innovation in China’s Electricity and Telecom Industries. They and several contributors address this big question by analyzing Chinese industrial policy and the actual performance of Chinese companies in two sectors central to China’s innovation drive.
Please join the Freeman Chair in China Studies on September 26 as Brandt and Rawski present their findings, which identify both the strengths and weaknesses of Chinese efforts, and discuss the implications for China’s economic trajectory and possible American policy responses. Following their presentation, Jane Nakano, Senior Fellow in CSIS Energy and National Security Program, will provide initial commentary. Scott Kennedy, Senior Adviser and Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics, will moderate Q&A with the audience.
Copies of Brandt and Rawski's book will be available for sale at the event.
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
By: Bonnie S. Glaser
This episode explores China’s military developments in space over the last two decades. Our guests, Todd Harrison and Kaitlyn Johnson, discuss some of the findings of their report, “Space Threat Assessment 2019,” and analyze how China has developed and used their growing military space capabilities. They also explain the Wolf Amendment, which forbids any bilateral cooperation between NASA and the China National Space Administration, and how it will affect future US-China cooperation in space.
Todd Harrison is the director of Defense Budget Analysis, the director of the Aerospace Security Project, and a senior fellow in the International Security Program at CSIS. His research focuses on defense funding, space security, and air power issues. Kaitlyn Johnson is an associate fellow and associate director of the Aerospace Security Project at CSIS. Her research focuses on space security, military space systems, and commercial space policy.
Want to ask a question to our panelists? Submit an online question here: https://bit.ly/2kM4sXN
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Northeastern University invite you to attend a half-day public conference titled Implementing Innovation: The 21st Century National Security Innovation Partnership Conference on September 23 at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ headquarters-- located at 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.
The half-day conference will include a discussion between Northeastern University’s President, Dr. Joseph E. Aoun, and Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Dr. Steven Walker, followed by an expert panel. Please see the agenda below for more details on speakers.
The conference will include discussion topics related to the 21 century national security innovation partnership, and bring together leaders from government, academia, and industry to discuss how to deliver a lasting culture of innovation in support of national security. This partnership between national security leadership, technology developers in industry, and the nation’s academic research institutions promises to continue producing decades of advancements applicable to defense and the broader economy, and is recognized as a major U.S. advantage in the most recent national security strategy.
The event’s speakers will address four specific issues:
Please join us on September 23 for this timely conversation. Follow the conversation on social media: @NationalSecurityInnovation, @Northeastern, @CSIS, @CSIS_ISP and @PresidentAoun.
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM - Registration
10:00 AM – 10:15 AM - Introduction
10:15 AM – 11:15 AM - Session 1: Keynote Discussion on The 21st Century National Security Innovation Partnership
11:15 AM – 11:30 AM - Coffee Break
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM - Session 2: Panel Discussion
This panel will focus on how the 21 Century National Security Innovation Partnership supports the development of STEM talent for national security, incubates promising technological firms, fosters technology and process innovation, enables human-machine teaming, and supports cyber and supply chain security.
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