16-17 April, Geneva Dialogue on Protecting Critical Infrastructure against Cyberattacks

March 13, 2012 — admin @ 9:35 pm

If you are interested to participate please send an email to: bw@genevasecurityforum.net


 

Dates set for next GSF: 16-17 April 2012, Villa Sarasin, Palexpo, Geneva

February 6, 2012 — admin @ 7:12 pm

The Geneva Security is organizing, in cooperation with the Swiss Ministry of Defense and the East West Institute, the Geneva Dialogue on Cybersecurity – Protecting Critical Infrastructure against Cyberattacks, on 16-17 April 2012. The Geneva Dialogue will take place at the Villa Sarasin, Palexpo, Geneva.

The Geneva Dialogue 2012 will focus on the development of international sector-based mechanisms to help ensure the continued solidity resiliency and seamless functioning of global systems. This will include the development of draft guidelines for behaviour in case of an attack on critical infrastructure including minimum response times, IT assistance arrangements, private sector-based warning systems, coordinated response across borders, interfaces and collaborations between governmental institutions and multi-national critical infrastructures.

The Geneva Dialogue is a multi-stakeholder forum geared to facilitating an outcome-oriented, on-going discussion amongst the key players including government, the military, the private sector, key regulatory bodies, international organizations and relevant NGOs.

Geneva Dialogue Workshops on Critical Infrastructure Protection against Cyberattacks focusing on Financial Services, Telecommunications, IT, Energy, Transport and Government.

The goals of the workshops are to:

  • Identify best practices in different regions / sectors
  • Identify sector specific multi-national interdependencies, risks and challenges
  • Assess existing measurement and resilience mechanisms at an international level
  • Models for multinational response
  • Look at risk management and costs of inaction
  • Compare business, national and international risks and responsibilities
  • Assess need for capacity building  / technology transfer to poorest countries
  • Exchange contacts
  • Coordinate government responses

For more information, please contact Barbara Weekes, CEO, Geneva Security Forum- bw@genevasecurityforum.net

 

NEWS!!! NEXT GSF- Spring 2012

December 15, 2011 — admin @ 2:12 pm

Countless meetings, international conferences and growing awareness of the problems but yet significant progress on developing cross-border agreements on cybersecurity, has eluded the international community.  The nature of the challenges inherent in the development of cybersecurity policy at a national level have been so unwieldy and complex that addressing these issues with the goal of reaching some kind of international agreement has seemed close to impossible. The Geneva Security Forum 2012 will tackle some of the most critical issues related to developing both national and international policy on cybersecurity, with a particular focus on Critical Infrastructure Protection against Cyber-Attacks.

 

NEXT GSF, Now planned for Spring 2012: Geneva Dialogue on Cybersecurity – Protecting Critical Infrastructure against Cyberattacks, organized in cooperation with the Swiss Ministry of Defense and the East West Institute

September 27, 2011 — admin @ 8:24 am

BY INVITATION ONLY- REGISTRATION INFORMATION COMING SOON

Please contact Barbara Weekes, CEO, Geneva Security Forum for further information- bw@genevasecurityforum.net

Countless meetings, international conferences and growing awareness of the challenges posed by increased cyber-vulernability, have failed to deliver significant progress on developing cross-border agreements on key issues, in particular relating to Critical Infrastructure Protection. The nature of the challenges inherent in the development of cybersecurity policy at a national level have been so unwieldy and complex that addressing these issues with the goal of reaching some kind of international agreement has seemed close to impossible. The Geneva Dialogue 2012 will tackle some of the most critical issues related to developing international mechanisms to ensure cybersecurity, with a particular focus on Protecting Critical Infrastructure against Cyber-Attacks.

The Geneva Dialogue 2012 will focus on the development of international sector-based mechanisms to help ensure the continued solidity resiliency and seamless functioning of global systems. This will include the development of draft guidelines for behaviour in case of an attack on critical infrastructure including minimum response times, IT assistance arrangements, private sector-based warning systems, coordinated response across borders, interfaces and collaborations between governmental institutions and multi-national critical infrastructures.

 

Geneva Security Forum participates at Handelsblatt Konferenz: Cybersecurity 2011 – Das Strategieforum für Politik, Wirtschaft und Militär 13 und 14 September 2011, Berlin

September 26, 2011 — admin @ 2:37 pm

For more information please refer to: http://www.handelsblatt.com/veranstaltungen/cybersecurity/

 

Geneva Security Forum to participate at ISF-International Security Forum 2011

May 25, 2011 — admin @ 9:17 am

http://www.isf.ethz.ch/isf/Program/Overview

This year’s ISF thus asks the most fundamental, yet most challenging question of all: Can the world find a new blueprint towards collective action in order to resolve global, regional and national challenges, or will shifting power patterns lead to further fragmentation? Notions of peace, order and international law may well need to be re-assessed.  Cooperation is never easy, and never more so than in a time of geo-economic and geopolitical turmoil; but if tomorrow’s challenges are to be met today it is surely required.

Cyber Security: Challenges and Opportunities

Tuesday, 31 May 2011, 11:00 – 12:30

Hosted by Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF)

By enabling the open and transparent sharing of information among civil society actors, the media, governments and citizens, the Internet is an increasingly important tool for building and safeguarding democratic norms and for upholding and promoting human rights. At the same time, cyber security challenges threaten governments as well as legitimate Internet users and businesses.

In response to cyber security challenges, states, private institutions and international organizations are rushing to formulate an appropriate response. This panel will explore the challenges and opportunities of cyber security at the international, national and private level.

Chair

Theodor H Winkler Ambassador and Director, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF), Switzerland

Speakers

International Responses to Cyber Security

Barbara Weekes, CEO, Geneva Security Forum and Member of Policy Advisory Board, ICT4Peace Foundation, Switzerland

New Responses to Criminal Activity Online

Tobias Bolliger Head, Cybercrime Coordination Unit (CYCO), Swiss Federal Office of Police, Bern

Exploring Cyber Defense Capability Development Under the Umbrella of the European Defence Agency

Andrea De Candido Assistant Capability Manager (Knowledge), European Defence Agency, Brussels, Belgium

 

Geneva Security Forum to participate at EWI Second Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit 2011

— admin @ 9:08 am

Mobilizing for International Action

June 1 – June 2, 2011
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Center
London

http://www.ewi.info/second-worldwide-cybersecurity-summit

EWI’s second Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit continues the work of the first summit in Dallas, bringing together leaders of governments, businesses and civil society from around the world to determine new measures to ensure the security of the world’s digital infrastructure.

The goals of the second summit:

  • To take three of the most pressing issues in global management of cybersecurity and showcase them, alongside proposed solutions:
    • a harmonized global framework for cyber crime, with case studies from the financial services sector;
    • a 24/7 point of contact network for all 233 countries & territories connected to the Internet, focusing on examples from the financial services sector;
    • multilateral agreement(s) on cyber warfare.
  • To test multilateral crisis-response mechanisms through a scenario exercise.
  • To identify new areas where there is a need and opportunity for international policy innovation and create breakthrough groups to address them.
  • To advance work on the top five breakthrough groups formed at the first Worldwide Cybersecurity Summit in Dallas.
  • To showcase best-in-class research and analysis on building trust and other political aspects of cybersecurity policy from China and Russia.
  • To provide a platform for non-Western cybersecurity leaders.
  • To showcase new examples of cross-border youth engagement in personal protection and privacy issues.

To register: http://www.ewi.info/cybersecurity-summit-registration-application

 

Welcome to the Geneva Security Forum Website

June 21, 2010 — admin @ 9:15 am

The Geneva Security Forum is a neutral, agile and flexible platform at the leading edge of the security debate offering global, high-level and multistakeholder thinking in addressing the implications of political, commercial, technological and criminal trends.

In addition, the Geneva Security Forum convenes international security conferences. Top-level forums that target key stakeholders in the highly competitive and rapidly changing global security market: policymakers, business leaders, key practitioners, and thought leaders who work together to anticipate and address the issues on the global security agenda.

The Geneva Security Forum events are also occasions to raise awareness, showcase products and services and conduct training seminars. The Geneva Security Forum is the first global conference designed to facilitate communication between security professionals to anticipate the changing global security environment, promote commercial solutions and discuss policy trade offs.

The Geneva Security Forum cooperated closely with ITU Telecom World 2009 to prepare the cybersecurity sessions in the Telecom Forum program, 5-9 October, Geneva:

http://www.itu.int/tlc/WORLD2009/forum/entries/track.936.html

SEC.1 : Tackling cyberthreats: towards effective global partnerships

Tuesday, 06 October 2009, 11:00 – 12:30, Room B

No country or operator acting alone can ensure it own cybersecurity; global partnerships are unavoidable. The day-to-day functioning of the global economy and individual life styles relies on a reasonable efficient operation of ICTs. KEY QUESTIONS: – How vulnerable is the system that is at the base of every service, transaction, communication and exchange required for the steady functioning of the global economy and individual well-being? – Is there a real risk? Who? What? What are the most vulnerable targets? – Did we learn from Estonia? – How are international multilateral cooperative mechanisms evolving? – What gaps still need to be filled?

This session has been prepared in cooperation with the Geneva Security Forum (GSF)

Moderator

Panellists

SEC.2 : The real costs of cybersecurity

Tuesday, 06 October 2009, 14:30 – 16:00, Room E

One estimate is that cybercrime, stolen data and the associated repairs cost business US$1 trillion in 2008. Despite the countermeasures, there has been continuing rapid evolution in the malware “industry”, for example, with the development of botnets to deliver spam, trojan attacks on social networks and phishing to obtain personal details for identity theft. New threats will require new spending to limit their effects

KEY QUESTIONS: – When will the costs of cybersecurity reach a peak? – What are best (affordable) management tools to protect data? – How do we persuade individuals to protect their computers and mobile phones? – Where will the next generation cyberthreats come from?

This session has been prepared in cooperation with the Geneva Security Forum (GSF)

Moderator

  • Mr Richard C. Beaird, Senior Deputy U.S. Coordinator, Department of State, International Communications and Information Policy (CIP), United States

Panellists

SEC.3 : Managing digital identity: the good, the bad, the ugly

Tuesday, 06 October 2009, 16:30 – 18:00, Room E

Digital identities are central to modern life, in performing banking transactions, making purchases, checking bank accounts and obtaining medical treatment. Identity theft has become a growing fear on the Internet and from data recovered from stolen or second hand discs and computers. Protecting corporate, customer, employee and personal digital identity is of critical importance.

KEY QUESTIONS: – How to properly protect critical data? – What tools are now available to protect digital identity and how best to implement them in your country or company? – How to implement and improve identity management processes?

This session has been prepared in cooperation with the Geneva Security Forum (GSF)

Moderator

Panellists

  • Mr Ron Williams, Senior Enterprise Architect, Security and Privacy, IBM Corporation, United States
  • Mr R Ramamurthy, Chairman, Cyber Society of India, India
  • His Excellency Mr Robert Hensler, State Chancellor, State of Geneva, Switzerland
  • Ms Jaya Baloo, Practice Leas Unified Communications, Professional Services Nl, ME, A, Verizon Business , Netherlands
  • Mrs Kelly Richdale, VP International Sales & Managing Director International Operations, L1 – Enterprise Access Division, United States
  • Mr Pascal Thoniel, Founder & CEO, NTX Research SA, France

SEC.4 : Best practices for cybersecurity: What should governments be doing for protecting children online?

Wednesday, 07 October 2009, 14:00 – 16:00, Room E

The expansion of the Internet has included and often been led by younger users, sometimes with little or not parental oversight and less guidance on the dangers of cyberspace. In some developed countries children get their first mobile phone at eight years-old. Irresponsible use of cameras on PCs and mobile phones has created the practice of “sexting”, of sending sexual images between children. Paedophiles have been shown to be a significant threat to children and to use the Internet to “groom” future victims and to exchange often horrifying images.

KEY QUESTIONS: – What can be done to improve the tracking and prosecution of paedophiles? – What is the role child-friendly safe zones? – How do we revise legislation to for computer-generated images and sexting? – Should there be an obligation to report images and sites?

Moderator

  • Mr John Carr, Executive Board Member, European NGO Alliance for Child Safety Online

Panellists

SEC.5 : Interconnected and vulnerable: the weakest link in cybersecurity

Thursday, 08 October 2009, 16:30 – 18:00, Room E

The recent financial crisis has demonstrated to what extent the world is increasingly interconnected, integrated and interdependent. Continuous international transactions amongst individuals, companies and nations and the constant flow of people and money around the world bring not only positive economic benefits but also increased cyber-vulnerability. The cybersecurity net we have developed complete with firewalls, anti-spy and anti-virus software, is only as strong as the weakest link in the chain. How can we develop a truly global approach? How can developed countries and corporations contribute to the “cybersecurization” of developing countries who do not have the means or the expertise to implement responsible and adequate cybersecurity programs?

This session has been prepared in cooperation with the Geneva Security Forum (GSF)

Moderator

  • Mr David A. Gross, Partner, Wiley Rein LLP, United States

Panellists

  • Mr Bashir Patel, Director Programmes and Business Development, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation – CTO, United Kingdom
  • Ms Jody Westby, CEO, Global Cyber Risk LLC, United States
  • Mr Arkadiy Kremer, Chairman ITU-T SG 17 and Chairman, Russian Association for Networks and Services – RANS , Russian Federation
  • Mr Basil Udotai, Managing Partner, Technology Advisors, ICT Lawyers & Consultants, Nigeria
  • Mr Victor-Emmanuel de Sa, Strategy Director, Geneva Solutions SA, Switzerland