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
The speakers will discuss business models through which the U.S. government and industry can work together in developing software for national security capabilities. The discussion will explore how the government and industry can create the right incentives to develop and iteratively modernize software for government applications with the goal of delivering innovation and advanced capabilities at the speed of relevance in a highly competitive international security environment. At the same time, the government’s business model for software development must present a return on investment that makes this an attractive business proposition for industry. Increasingly, software is the driver for advances in critical warfighting systems like the Aegis Combat System, the Global Positioning System, the Battlefield Communications Node, and many other systems. As a result, the business model for software acquisition is a key enabler for the National Defense Strategy.
This event is made possible through general support from Northrop Grumman.
Please join us for an armchair discussion on responses to national security threats in cyberspace from the Department of Justice, featuring John P. Carlin, Former Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division; and John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division, on Tuesday, January 15th from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm at the CSIS headquarters.
In his new book, Dawn of the Code War, Mr. Carlin discusses the rise of cyber threats from U.S. adversaries, and the strategies that have been developed to combat them. At this event, Mr. Carlin and Mr. Demers will discuss the nature of these threats and, more importantly, the U.S. response, including indictments of Russian, Chinese, Iranian, and North Korean nationals. The discussion will focus on the actions the Department of Justice is already taking to combat cyber threats and mitigate risks, and how this could change the cyber threat environment.
John P. Carlin
Partner, Morrison & Foerster LLP; Former Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division, Department of Justice
John C. Demers
Assistant Attorney General, National Security Division, Department of Justice
Moderated by
James A. Lewis
Senior Vice President and Director, CSIS Technology Policy Program
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
Please join us for a panel discussion on Thursday, December 13th at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on extending federal cybersecurity to endpoint devices. While cybersecurity awareness in the federal government has improved, along with efforts to provide more secure architectures and managed security services for federal networks, these efforts are focused on systemic risks and vulnerabilities in core infrastructures. Few extend to the millions of endpoint devices connected to these systems.
The panel will discuss how federal agencies can move toward a more flexible, user-centered architecture for federal networks to manage evolving security threats. We will also consider how the federal government should think about managing vulnerabilities in the rapidly growing number of consumer devices connected to federal networks.
1:00 pm - Keynote Remarks
Suzette Kent, Federal Chief Information Officer, Office of Management and Budget, Executive Office of the President
1:20 pm - Panel Discussion
Ryan Gillis, Vice President, Cybersecurity Strategy and Global Policy, Palo Alto Networks
Daniel Chenok, Executive Director, IBM Center for Business of Government
Todd Gustafson, President & Head of US Public Sector, HP Federal LLC
This event was made possible through support from HP, Inc.
Linda Jojo, Executive Vice President for Technology and Chief Digital Officer, United Airlines, joins Beverly Kirk on the Smart Women, Smart Power Podcast for a conversation on how technology is transforming the airline industry and how airlines are thinking about security in the digital age.
This discussion, following the midterm elections, will assess what we saw--and didn't see--in those elections. It will also examine foreign influence operations that go beyond elections to undermine other democratic institutions, such as our justice system, and democracy itself. Finally, we will discuss ways to counter this national security threat.
This event is made possible with the help of the American Bar Association Committee on Law and National Security and the financial support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Democracy Fund.
Please join the Center for Strategic and International Studies for a Smart Women, Smart Power conversation with Julie Sweet, Chief Executive Officer of Accenture North America. She will discuss artificial intelligence, innovation, and re-skilling the workforce for the future.
Ms. Sweet leads Accenture's business in the United States, its largest market, as well as Canada. She is also a member of Accenture’s Global Management Committee. Prior to assuming this role, she served as Accenture’s general counsel, secretary and chief compliance officer. Before joining Accenture in 2010, she was a partner in the Corporate department of Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP.
Julie Sweet is a leader on issues including innovation, the impact of technology on business, and inclusion and diversity. In 2018, she was named to FORTUNE’s list of “Most Powerful Women” for the third consecutive year. Ms. Sweet co-chairs the Canada-United States Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders. In addition, she serves on the Board of the Business Roundtable and chairs the Business Roundtable’s Technology Committee.
Ms. Sweet holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Claremont McKenna College and a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia Law School.
This event is made possible through support from Citi.Join the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group and the International Security Program for a discussion on national security, artificial intelligence, and the nexus between AI’s national security applications and its broader commercial applications. At this launch event, we will present the research and findings of our newest report, Artificial Intelligence and National Security: The Importance of the AI Ecosystem. A public panel discussion will follow, where dialogue will focus on opportunities and challenges in AI investment, adoption, and operational management in the context of national and international security.
This report is made possible by the generous support from Thales USA, Inc.
Please join us on Wednesday, October 10, for a discussion on a new CSIS report Modernizing the Social Security Number (SSN), with opening keynote remarks by Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX). Congressman Johnson is a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means where he serves as the Chairman of the Social Security Subcommittee. The opening remarks will be followed by remarks by Candace Worley, Vice President and Chief Technical Strategist at McAfee, and a panel discussion.
The main identity credential in the U.S. is a paper Social Security Card largely unchanged since the 1930s. The SSN serves as a starting point for confirming identity in the U.S. and is central to the U.S. economy, but it is easily stolen and not designed to work in a digital environment. Modernizing the SSN with a secure process for verifying its use would make it harder to steal and create a foundation for innovation in authentication technology.
The panel will discuss the challenges in improving identity authentication systems and what initial steps can be taken to improve privacy and security. We will also discuss the issues that have arisen from using the SSN as an authenticator and explore potential models for a modernized identity system.
8:45 am—Light Refreshments
9:00 am—Opening Keynote Remarks
Congressman Sam Johnson (R - TX), Chairman, Social Security Subcommittee
9:05 am—Keynote Remarks
Candace Worley, Vice President and Chief Technical Strategist, McAfee, LLC
9:20 am—Panel Discussion
Paul Rosenzweig, Senior fellow, R Street Institute
Naomi Lefkovitz, Senior Privacy Policy Advisor, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Candace Worley, Vice President and Chief Technical Strategist, McAfee, LLC
Moderated by
James A. Lewis, Senior Vice President, Center for Strategic and International Studies
This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.
Blockchain is increasingly recognized as a potentially transformative technology for business transaction infrastructure with its decentralized and transparent networks which form nodes or “blocks” linked by cryptography. Although its decentralized networks make blockchain less vulnerable to cyberattacks, it poses challenges for governments seeking to understand the technology’s many applications and develop appropriate regulatory “rules of the road.” How are governments thinking about the increased use of blockchain technology and its regulatory environment? How are businesses viewing the future of blockchain? What are the future trends in this space? Please join us on September 12th as our distinguished panel of experts will discuss the future of blockchain technology.
This event is made possible by the generous support of the Embassy of Lichtenstein.
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