Archive

2024

Resilient Nuclear Crisis Communications: India’s Experience

Resilient Nuclear Crisis Communications: India’s Experience

This short paper examines the manner in which the existing hotlines have been used in the India-Pakistan dyad. It also identifies some challenges posed to these channels and how these need to be overcome.

India, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction, Pakistan

June 26, 2024

A Lifecycle Approach to AI Risk Reduction: Tackling the Risk of Malicious Use Amid Implications of Openness

A Lifecycle Approach to AI Risk Reduction: Tackling the Risk of Malicious Use Amid Implications of Openness

A Lifecycle Approach to AI Risk Reduction introduces a novel framework for addressing the complex risks associated with AI, and applies this framework to the risk of malicious use.

AI lifecycle, artificial intelligence, LLMs, malicious use, risk-mitigation

June 17, 2024

Testimony: Red Alert: Countering the Cyberthreat from China

Testimony: Red Alert: Countering the Cyberthreat from China

On May 15, 2024, Chief Trust Officer Steve Kelly testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation in a hearing entitled, "Red Alert: Countering the Cyberthreat from China."

China, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity

May 28, 2024

Ransomware Task Force: Doubling Down

Progress Report, Report

Ransomware Task Force: Doubling Down

While the U.S. government and its partners made great strides in combating ransomware in 2023, attacks have only increased. Of the 48 recommendations made in the original RTF Report, our assessment remains unchanged from a year ago: only 24 have seen significant progress.

cybersecurity, incident reporting, ransom payments, Ransomware

April 24, 2024

Information Sharing in the Ransomware Payment Ecosystem: Exploring the Delta Between Best Practices and Existing Mechanisms

Information Sharing in the Ransomware Payment Ecosystem: Exploring the Delta Between Best Practices and Existing Mechanisms

IST's latest report pulls from a recent attack scenario exercise performed by the Ransomware Task Force's Payments Working Group, comparing the results to information sharing case studies including the Hive disruption operation, the Emotet botnet takedown, and the Colonial Pipeline ransom recovery.

Colonial Pipeline, cybersecurity, Emotet, Hive, ransom payments, Ransomware

April 17, 2024

Testimony: Held for Ransom: How Ransomware Endangers Our Financial System

Testimony: Held for Ransom: How Ransomware Endangers Our Financial System

On April 16, 2024, Chief Strategy Officer Megan Stifel testified before the House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions for a hearing entitled, "Held for Ransom: How Ransomware Endangers Our Financial System."

financial services, ransom payments, Ransomware

April 16, 2024

Roadmap to Potential Prohibition of Ransomware Payments

Roadmap to Potential Prohibition of Ransomware Payments

The Ransomware Task Force Co-Chairs present a roadmap to potential prohibition of ransomware payments with 16 milestones that, if pursued concurrently by government and the private sector, could reduce the need for a prohibition of ransomware payments in the first place or facilitate its eventual imposition.

ransom payments, Ransomware, roadmap

April 10, 2024

Unlocking U.S. Technological Competitiveness: Evaluating Initial Solutions to Public-Private Misalignments

Unlocking U.S. Technological Competitiveness: Evaluating Initial Solutions to Public-Private Misalignments

In February, Strategic Balancing Initiative working groups identified key misalignments between the public & private sectors in biotech, energy & quantum. Now, SBI draws from working group insights to outline potential solutions that can bridge gaps between emerging tech and the policy apparatus.

biotech, China, energy, quantum, technological competitiveness

March 29, 2024

Public Private Partnerships to Combat Ransomware: An inquiry into three case studies and best practices

Public Private Partnerships to Combat Ransomware: An inquiry into three case studies and best practices

IST, in collaboration with the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise and in support of the International Counter Ransomware Initiative, examines three existing public-private partnerships to combat ransomware: Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), the United States Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC), and the Institute for Security and Technology’s Ransomware Task Force (RTF). What challenges did they face? What does an ideal public-private partnership look like?

CISA, cyber, EC3, European Cybercrime Centre, JCDC, Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, PPPs, Public-private partnerships, Ransomware

March 27, 2024

Unlocking U.S. Technological Competitiveness: Public-Private Misalignments in Biotechnology, Energy, and Quantum Sectors

Unlocking U.S. Technological Competitiveness: Public-Private Misalignments in Biotechnology, Energy, and Quantum Sectors

This initial Strategic Balancing Initiative report summarizes key takeaways from Working Group discussions with stakeholders in the biotechnology, quantum, and energy industries, identifying the unique challenges that they face to improving U.S. competitiveness in each respective sector. The report then engages in a ‘deep dive’ on a key concept from each industry that, if actioned, would improve innovation and could ultimately drive U.S. competitiveness.

biotech, China, energy, public-private misalignments, quantum, techno-industrial competition

February 20, 2024

Effects of Electromagnetic Pulses on Communication Infrastructure: An IST Primer

Effects of Electromagnetic Pulses on Communication Infrastructure: An IST Primer

It is important to acknowledge that the blast effects of a nuclear detonation are horrific and, in such a scenario, it is right that emergency response (including communications) go first to support those people who are affected. IST’s Innovation and Catastrophic Risk team is focused on one aspect of crisis prevention and, in the worst case, response: the international prevention and de-escalation of catastrophic nuclear risk through additive communications solutions.

electromagnetic pulse, nuclear crisis communications, nuclear risk reduction

January 16, 2024