Virtual Library

Our research repositories present a collection of open-source resources that showcase research and analysis that has directly influenced our initiatives. Non-IST publications are copyrighted by external authors not affiliated with IST.

Submit your Content

Reports

Mapping Threat Actor Behavior in the Ransomware Payment Ecosystem: A Mini-Pilot

Zoë Brammer

viewpdf

Reports

May 2023 Progress Report: Ransomware Task Force: Gaining Ground

Ransomware Task Force

viewpdf

Reports

Castles Built on Sand: Towards Securing the Open-Source Software Ecosystem

Zoë Brammer, Silas Cutler, Marc Rogers, Megan Stifel

viewpdf

Reports

Cyber Incident Reporting Framework: Global Edition

Cyber Threat Alliance, Institute for Security and Technology

viewpdf

Reports

AI-NC3 Integration in an Adversarial Context: Strategic Stability Risks and Confidence Building Measures

Alexa Wehsener, Andrew W. Reddie, Leah Walker, Philip Reiner

viewpdf

Op-ed

The Nuclear Risk Reduction Approach: A Useful Path Forward for Crisis Mitigation

Sylvia Mishra

view

Reports

Nuclear Crisis Communications: Mapping Risk Reduction Implementation Pathways

Sylvia Mishra

viewpdf

Contribute to our Library!

We also welcome additional suggestions from readers, and will consider adding further resources as so much of our work has come through crowd-sourced collaboration already. If, for any chance you are an author whose work is listed here and you do not wish it to be listed in our repository, please, let us know.

SUBMIT CONTENT

To the Point of Failure: Identifying Failure Points for Crisis Communications Systems

Leah Walker, Alexa Wehsener

SUMMARY

Although most states agree that the need for nuclear risk reduction is more urgent than ever, the pathways to peace are elusive. Existing use of hotlines is wrought with political and technical failures. In some cases, nuclear weapons states may not even possess direct communication lines to their nuclear adversaries or allies. Geopolitical tensions are rising and could be exacerbated if the number of states possessing nuclear weapons or those existing under nuclear security umbrellas continue to grow.

Nuclear crisis communications and other diplomatic communication systems reduce nuclear risk by increasing transparency and predictability in state actions and intentions, while combating miscommunication. Failures in those communication systems can eliminate their ability to reduce risk, and may, in fact, increase the risk of war. This report assesses operational, adversarial, accidental, and institutional failure points in existing nuclear crisis communications. These existing points of failure are cemented by the increasing complexity of today’s strategic environment and the additional risks it creates for reliable crisis communication use.

  1. Operational Failures
  2. Adversarial Failures
  3. Accidental Failures
  4. Institutional Failures
download pdf