Cyber Security | Wilson Center

Cyber Security

U.S.-China Cybersecurity Cooperation Needs to Move More Rapidly

The United States and China have wildly different visions for the future of the Internet. But they have shared interests in a secure, dynamic digital economy, Microsoft’s Jing de Jong-Chen argues – enough common ground to make progress on international norms.

 

A National Debate on Encryption — Now

The battle over the iPhone involved in the San Bernardino, Calif., shooting last year has ended in a truce. Hours before Apple and the Justice Department would have faced off in court, the FBI announced it had found a new way to get data off the device. In Silicon Valley — and far beyond — many sighed with relief.

Codex - Safeguards

1. Encryption
a. A method of securing data, either for storage or for communication, that better
protects its confidentiality and integrity
b. Example: Windows’ BitLocker can be used to encrypt hard disks so that the data
cannot be read by unauthorized users.
 
2. End-to-End Encryption

Codex - A Common Language for Cybersecurity

For many who want to learn more about cybersecurity, knowing where to start can be difficult. Non-technical audiences—especially policymakers—are often separated from experts by a language gap ( just look at WillUsingThePrefixCyberMakeMeLookLikeAnIdiot.com).

Codex - Building Blocks

1. What is code?
a. Computer language consisting of instructions and information
b. Example: A software developer writes code for a new program in one of a variety of
languages, such as C#. Eventually, all instructions to the computer are converted to
binary machine language, zeros and ones.
 

2. What makes up a network?

FBI needs to offer Apple an olive branch

When the FBI announced that it had found a way to crack the San Bernardino, California, gunman's phone -- a path forward that wouldn't require conscripting Apple to produce custom software -- the stage seemed set for a thaw.

Cybersecurity & Innovation: It's the States, Stupid

Second term Governor John Hickenlooper will give a special talk about efforts in Colorado to address a rise in cyber threats while also driving innovation and creating jobs. As Federal support for cyber incidents begins to focus on the most high-level targets, leaving states and their businesses and non-profits to fend for themselves in the event of a breach, new solutions are necessary. 

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Will They or Won’t They? Understanding the Encryption Debate

In a California court, Apple CEO Tim Cook and FBI Director James Comey are battling over the phone of the San Bernardino gunman - an iPhone that Comey says Apple has a legal obligation to help unlock. Apple, for its part, says that aiding the FBI here would set a precedent that undermines both security and privacy for millions of smartphone users. Similar debates are playing out across the country (two states are now considering legislation to regulate the use of smartphone encryption) and around the world, as governments weigh the policy challenges posed by secure communications.

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The Life Cycles of Cyber Threats

Technology isn’t human, but it has stages of life. The period after the conception of a new piece of technology is often marked by significant investments of time and resources, often with little tangible return. If this work is successful, the technology begins to enter use, benefiting from iteration and design improvements. It may then begin to spread, gaining in popularity and begetting virtuous economies of scale. If all continues to progress, the technology will mature in the marketplace. Even if it attains market dominance, however, that position will not be permanent.

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