RightsCon began this week. It runs from 27th -31st July 2020. The Centre for Multilateral Affairs will host two sessions. Herein is a snapshot of one of our session outline and pool of talented, experienced and professional speakers! Only registered participants can join the session.
Abstract:
Cyber space has become an increasing domain under which bilateral and multilateral hostilities have been perpetuated among and between nation states. Sometimes, even the actions of non-state actors have rendered the space problematic. Consequently, the need to protect the critical network infrastructures and associated networks and tools in the cyber space against adversarial actions and attacks by individuals, non-state actors, and nation states have led to increased need for both offensive and defensive capabilities to protect the cyber domain. In 2019, Verizon’s data breach investigations compiled data breaches from 73 data sources and found that state affiliated actors account for nearly 79% of all breaches involving external actors – with cyber espionage being the bulk of the activities (Farlina, 2020). The 2007 Estonian attack, the 2010 Iranian Stuxnet attack at the Iranian nuclear facility – led subsequently to many nation states including the US, UK, China, Netherlands etc. to develop cyber command centers to centralize and protect its infrastructures. How do you build confidence and trust amongst and or between states? How are normative frameworks helpful in mitigating the increasing militarization of the cyber space. What and how does these developments speak to the realities of developing nations e.g. Sub- Sahara Africa? This panel seeks to explore these discussions and various dimensions within the context of international security between, amongst states and other non-state actors.
Speakers:
1.Latha Reddy
Former Deputy National Security Advisor of India. In addition, to assisting the National Security Advisor, Reddy was responsible for cyber security and other critical internal and external security issues.
2. Tatiana Tropina
She is the Assistant Professor in Cyber Security governance at the Institute of Security and global Affairs, Leiden University
3. Sarvjeet Singh
Executive Director, at the Centre for Communication Governance at National Law University, Delhi
4. Sheetal Kumar
She provides strategic oversights for the Global Partners Digital’s Global Cyber Security Capacity Building Programme. Involved in the UN-GGE & OEWG
5. Deborah Brown
She is digital Senior Researcher at the Human Rights Watch based in New York, United States. Previously coordinated global affairs at the Association for Progressive Communications (APC)
6.Anriette Estherhusyen (Co-Organizer)
Former Executive Director of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), member of the Global Commission on the Stability of the Cyber Space (GCSCS) and Chair of the UN Panel on Digital Cooperation
7. Stéphane Duguin
He is the Chief Executive at the Cyber Peace Institute based in Geneva, Switzerland. His mission is to coordinate a collective response to decrease the frequency, impact, and scale of cyberattacks by sophisticated actor
9. Moses Owiny (Co-Organizer & Moderator)
Co-Founder and Chief Executive at the Centre for Multilateral Affairs (CfMA). In addition, Moses also serves as Technical Advisor – Civil Society, under the Civil Society in Uganda Support Program (CUSP) for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.
Militarization of the Cyber Space: Grappling with Applicability of International Law to the Cyber Space
Discussion Points:
- What is cyber space and militarization of the cyber space?
-Historical evolution of cyber space as a domain for warfare. What constitutes or makes the space militarized as a domain for and means of aggressions/hostilities amongst (Multilateral), between (bi-lateral) states – but also within and amongst non-state actors?
-Debates around cyber space and how the cyber space is used as a tool for:
*espionage
*subversion *Coercion etc.
*Mainstream discussion from an International Security perspective
2) Applicability of international law in the cyber space.
*How do we apply international law concepts to the cyber space – e.g. cyber sovereignty, just war, armed attack, use of force
– Issues around responsible state behaviors
– Norms
-Confidence Building Measures (CBMs)
3) Human rights issues associated with cyber space:
– Questions of cyber attribution (legal and technical possibilities)
-Privacy violations
-Digital surveillance
-Digital 9/11
4) Development of cyber capabilities
– The cyber ‘arms race’
-Development of offensive capabilities
-Defensive cyber capabilities
-Security dilemmas emanating from nation states attempt to increase their cyber capabilities to deter, dissuade, degrade and disrupt or destroy adversary targets and threats
5) Military doctrines:
– The US, UK, China and their national security strategies
-Great power competition/rivalry
6) Works/efforts around the UN-GGE/OEWG
7) Implications for Africa: South of Sahara
– Chinese spying on AU headquarters
-Strained diplomatic relations between Uganda and Rwanda
-Rwanda and Burundi
-Roles of big companies/techs e.g. MTN in fostering cyber espionage – intelligence gathering and reconnaissance
*Recommendations
*Conclusions
