CyberPeace Institute to Support Victims Harmed by Escalating Conflicts in Cyberspace

GENEVA, Sept. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks a new milestone in global efforts toward de-escalating conflicts and promoting peace and stability in cyberspace with the announcement of the CyberPeace Institute, an independent NGO created to address the growing impact of major cyberattacks.

To deliver on its mission, the CyberPeace Institute will focus on three core functions:

1. Assistance:  Coordinating recovery efforts for the most vulnerable victims of cyberattacks and helping vulnerable communities and organizations become more resilient to attacks.
2. Accountability: Facilitating collective analysis, research, and investigation of cyberattacks, including by assessing their harm and bringing greater transparency to the problem so everyone has better data to inform action.
3. Advancement: Promoting positive and responsible behavior in cyberspace by reinforcing and advancing adherence to international laws and rules.

Cyberattacks are causing ever-greater harm to people and civilian infrastructures around the world. The most damaging attacks have destroyed businesses, halted economies, and shut down hospitals. Most recently, cyberattacks have taken local government services offline and threatened power grids and election infrastructure. 

Stéphane Duguin, currently Head of the EU Internet Referral Unit within Europol, and instrumental in creating Europol's European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), will lead the CyberPeace Institute as its Chief Executive Officer. Marietje Schaake, recent Member of European Parliament, will serve as the CyberPeace Institute's President and Chair of Advisory Board. In addition, she recently joined Stanford's Cyber Policy Center and its Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.

"The global disruptions from cyberattacks are the symptoms of an insidious threat targeting civilians at a time of peace," said Duguin. "We need concrete solutions to build resilience among vulnerable communities, shed light on the malicious activity of attackers and inform responsible behavior in cyberspace. I am looking forward to leading the CyberPeace Institute towards these goals, and engaging academia, civil society, governments and industry in a collective pursuit of peace in cyberspace."

"Civilians are at ever greater risk of being targeted by cyberattacks that rage between states and non-state actors alike. We need de-escalation and a focus on peace in cyberspace. I am looking forward to contributing to that urgent global agenda as President of the CyberPeace Institute," said Schaake.

An 8-member executive board and 14-member advisory board comprising distinguished global experts in cybersecurity, international law, human rights and international affairs will provide guidance to the Institute in achieving its purpose.

Over the coming months, the CyberPeace Institute will hire and meet with experts and stakeholders to execute its mission. They will focus on forging partnership across the globe with the public and private sector, civil society and academia.

The Institute's initiating funders are Mastercard, Microsoft and the Hewlett Foundation, with additional support from other major corporations and philanthropic institutions.

Learn more about the Institute at www.cyberpeaceinstitute.org

Notes to the Editor:

Members of the CyberPeace Institute's Executive Board include:

• Alejandro Becerra Gonzalez, Global Information Security Director, Telefonica
• Khoo Boon Hui, Former President, Interpol
• Merle Maigre, Executive Vice President for Government Relations at CybExer Technologies
• Alexander Niejelow, Senior Vice President, Cybersecurity Coordination & Advocacy, Mastercard
• Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America
• Brad Smith, President, Microsoft
• Eli Sugarman, Program Officer, Cyber Initiative, Hewlett Foundation
• Martin Vetterli, President, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, EPFL

The CyberPeace Institute's Advisory Board includes:

• Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, Centre for Internet and Society
• Cheryl Carolus, co-founder of Peotona Capital
• Ron Deibert, Director, The Citizen Lab
• Niva Elkin-Koren, founding Director, Haifa Center for Law and Technology; Co-Director, Center for Cyber, Law and Policy
• Jen Ellis, Vice-President Community and Public Affairs, Rapid7
• Vasu Gounden, Executive Director of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes
• Fergus Hanson, Director of International Cyber Policy Centre, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
• Chung Min Lee, Chairman of the Advisory Council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies
• Joseph S. Nye Jr., University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus and former Dean of the Harvard's Kennedy School of Government
• Luisa Parraguez, Global Affairs and International Security Professor, Tecnológico de Monterrey
• Jamie Shea, Professor of strategy and security, University of Exeter
• Michael Schmitt, Professor of International Law, University of Exeter
• Danny Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive Officer, OXFAM GB
• Luis Videgaray Caso, Senior Lecturer at MIT and former Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs