26th Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Cybersecurity
Dr. Emily Goldman highlighted cyberspace as a major battlefield in great power competition, emphasizing its transformative nature in gaining strategic advantage without resorting to traditional warfare. She stressed the cumulative impact of exploiting vulnerabilities over time and discussed how cyber capabilities can be used to undermine military capabilities, economic competitiveness, social cohesion, and confidence in democratic institutions. Addressing ideological fault lines, she pointed out that authoritarian powers recognized cyberspace as an existential threat early on and have been using it to reshape the international system. Dr. Goldman raised the fundamental question of whether societies want information freedom or information control, emphasizing the challenge and competition in this regard.
In terms of addressing the cyber threat landscape, Dr. Goldman emphasized the need for continuous understanding, anticipation, and vulnerability mitigation. She urged proactive engagement in the global system, collaboration with partners, and vigilance to anticipate and act before attacks occur. Dr. Goldman highlighted the routinized and normalized nature of cyber behavior, suggesting that legislative changes play a crucial role in enabling active cyber defense strategies. She concluded by emphasizing the importance of acting to preclude malicious activities rather than relying on traditional deterrence.
