The McCourt School’s Tech & Public Policy program hosted a panel of experts to discuss the conflict in Ukraine, the future of cyberwarfare and the importance of public-private partnerships moving forward.On February 24, 2023, Russian forces invaded and occupied parts of Ukraine. In the year since, tens of thousands of people on both sides have lost their lives, and even more have been permanently displaced. While the physical war has been widely covered by international media, military and tech experts across the world have found key lessons to be learned by the war being waged online.
To discuss changes in the cyber threat landscape, the McCourt School’s Tech & Public Policy (TPP) program hosted visiting TPP Research Fellow Gulsanna Mamediieva, director general on EU integration in Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, Adjunct Professor Jeffrey Glick, former senior advisor to the assistant secretary for cybersecurity and communications in the Department of Homeland Security, Adjunct Professor John Gossart, cofounder and CFO of fintech startup GoodWorld, and Tatyana Bolton, security policy manager at Google.
Following introductory remarks from McCourt School Advisory Board member Craig Newmark, who emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration and “protecting ourselves and our country from cyber attacks,” the panel, moderated by Dr. Glick, spoke candidly about what the conflict in Ukraine reveals about the future of war.
Mamediieva, a Ph.D. candidate at Kyiv University whose research was interrupted by the war, offered unique insights into how the Ukrainian government was able to protect itself against cyber attacks. “President Zelensky was committed to making Ukraine a ‘state in a smartphone,’ and his focus on digital really helped us to pivot quickly when we realized the urgency of the situation,” she said.
While Ukrainian leaders were extremely receptive to the idea of increasing the nation’s digital footprint, digital advocates in the developing world have faced an uphill battle. Bolton stressed the importance of building “cyber resilience” worldwide because “we currently have a system of cyber-haves and cyber-have-nots. Those ‘have-nots’ can pose a huge risk as targets in a conflict, so developing global cyber equity is paramount.”
Developing public-private partnerships
Since the war began, governments, companies, civil society groups and countless others have supported the Ukrainian people and their institutions.
Stressing the importance of collaboration, Gossart stated, “it’s not a matter of inviting the private sector in…they are already here; the corporate private sector is a critical component of protecting the cyber space in any established country today.”
Google, for example, donated 50,000 Google Workspace licenses to the Ukranian government, developed rapid Air Raid Alerts systems for Android phones in the region and supported refugees, businesses and entrepreneurs across the country. Bolton noted that taking a stand like this has massive policy implications and often leaves decision-makers with the policy choices around how to ensure the rights and security of all of their users across the globe.
“The policy implications are fascinating. Do you remove state-run media from [Google]? When do you choose to make that decision? Is it only true in times of conflict? And if so, how do you decide which side to take? The policy implications of these decisions are endless and immense.”
Tatyana Bolton
While the kinetic war in Ukraine has slowed down for now, thousands of Ukrainians continue to deal with its impact every day.
Policy leaders and tech experts across the world are working to prevent further destruction and engage in meaningful conversations about how to protect the global cyber space before the next major attack.
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