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Reinvigorating Crisis Communications in an Era of Emerging Technologies

Event

February 18, 2026 12:00 am

Reinvigorating Crisis Communications in an Era of Emerging Technologies

In February 2026, IST’s CATALINK Initiative hosted a workshop in Geneva to connect with stakeholders on reinvigorating nuclear crisis communications in a new era of emerging technologies.
AI, Broker, crisis communications, encryption, hotlines, Puck
February 19, 2026
New Video Narrated by Rose Gottemoeller Spotlights “CATALINK”: A Critical Blueprint for Secure, Multilateral Crisis Communications

Blog

New Video Narrated by Rose Gottemoeller Spotlights “CATALINK”: A Critical Blueprint for Secure, Multilateral Crisis Communications

Narrated by Rose Gottemoeller, former NATO Deputy Secretary General and U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, a new three-minute animated film live today introduces CATALINK. This groundbreaking initiative is a blueprint for a dedicated, last-resort communication system designed to be the ultimate backstop to prevent or cease nuclear war.
arms race, CATALINK, crisis communications, hotlines, mesh network, nuclear, Puck, risk reduction
December 17, 2025
IST Launches New Crisis Communications Resilience Working Group

Blog

IST Launches New Crisis Communications Resilience Working Group

The Institute for Security and Technology (IST) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Crisis Communications Resilience Working Group, a new effort to augment nuclear risk reduction efforts and promote effective, secure, multilateral crisis communications among nuclear-armed states. The Working Group (WG) consists of scholars, academics, practitioners, and technical experts from across Europe, Asia, and North America. 
emerging technologies, hotlines, NC3, nuclear crisis communications
October 11, 2023
Hotlines for the Digital Age: Improving communications in cyber-generated national security crises

Blog

Hotlines for the Digital Age: Improving communications in cyber-generated national security crises

What do countries that don’t have regular high-level security communications pathways do when their critical digital infrastructure is under cyber attack, and the cyber attack appears to be coming from the territory of a country on the other side of the globe? An ongoing negotiation convened under the United Nations First Committee is building a structure to make clear and urgent communication on cybersecurity incidents accessible to every government. 
hotlines, Ransomware, Russia, United Nations
July 6, 2023
Frequently Asked Questions about the CATALINK initiative

Blog

Frequently Asked Questions about the CATALINK initiative

What is CATALINK? What are the CATALINK components? Why is it needed? Answers to commonly asked questions about the CATALINK initiative.
hotlines, mesh network, nuclear, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear weapons, security, strategic stability
May 22, 2023
The Role of Crisis Communications in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Blog

The Role of Crisis Communications in the Russo-Ukrainian War

The Russo-Ukrainian War has not been tempered nor solved by the existence of crisis communications between nuclear weapon states. However, the existence of the senior and tactical level deconfliction lines may continue to play a role in limiting escalatory action between these adversaries.
crisis communications, hotlines, NC3, Russo-Ukraine War
May 18, 2022
The CATALINK Brief

Memo

The CATALINK Brief

Learn more about the CATALINK initiative, which combines radical simplicity, open source design, formal methods for NC3, and international collaboration and outreach.
CATALINK, hotlines, Innovation and Catastrophic Risk, nuclear
August 1, 2021
Hotline Between Two Koreas: Status, Limitations and Future Tasks

Report

Hotline Between Two Koreas: Status, Limitations and Future Tasks

In this paper, Moon Chung-in and Boo Seung-Chan provide historical context on the hotlines linking South and North Korea and point to the lessons that can be learned from the decades-long effort.
CATALINK, communication, communication link, crisis, crisis management, escalation, history, hotlines, Innovation and Catastrophic Risk, NC3, nuclear, nuclear security, nuclear weapon, nuclear weapon states, nuclear weapons, nuclear-use, secure communications
December 17, 2020
Building Communications Norms Across Nuclear C2

Report

Building Communications Norms Across Nuclear C2

Dr. Salma Shaheen stresses the importance of establishing new norms, constructing new practices, and securing reliant communications between nuclear-armed states before a potential crisis. Shaheen reaffirms the need for a direct communication link between global leaders to facilitate quick and efficient communications between nuclear-armed states — a capability she cites as essential for escalation control and nuclear weapons reduction, with a direct impact on crisis aversion and thus global security.
CATALINK, communication, control, crisis, crisis management, escalation, history, hotlines, NC3, nuclear, nuclear security, nuclear weapon, nuclear-use, secure communications
November 24, 2020
Nuclear Hotlines: Origins, Evolution, Applications

Report

Nuclear Hotlines: Origins, Evolution, Applications

Dr. Steven E. Miller gives an overview of experiences to-date with nuclear hotlines. He reviews the history of the US-Russia hotline, describes the ways that hotlines can be used or misused, and charts how the hotline concept has evolved and propagated to help states manage international crises. Hotlines are important, if imperfect, tools for avoiding nuclear conflict.
CATALINK, crisis, crisis management, de-escalation, escalation, history, hotlines, NC3, nuclear, nuclear security, nuclear weapon, nuclear-use, secure communications
October 28, 2020
Communication Over Escalation

Podcast

Communication Over Escalation

In this episode of The Fourth Leg, Philip Reiner and Peter Hayes are joined by nuclear weapons and conflict resolution expert, Steven E. Miller, to discuss the historical significance and evolution of nuclear communications.
cold war, crisis communications, deescalation, hotlines, nuclear communications
October 27, 2020