Fletcher reports on cybersecurity

Perhaps, like me, your data was stolen in one of the many different hacks of a retail or financial institution.  Or perhaps you’ve been unsure what all this hacking of elections might mean.  In either case, I’d encourage you to check out the most recent Tufts Magazine, which takes a broad view of cybersecurity and includes several articles by members of the Fletcher community, including:

“We’re Heading Toward a Cyber Pearl Harbor,” by James Stavridis, F83, F84, and until very recently, dean of Fletcher.

“Hacking Democracy,” an interview with Adam Segal, F93, director of the Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of The Hacked World Order.

“Banking on Trust,” by Siobhan MacDermott, F13, Bank of America’s Global Cyber Public Policy Executive.

“When Attackers Pull the Plug on the Internet,” by 2012 Fletcher PhD graduate Alison Lawlor Russell, professor of political science at Merrimack College and author of Cyber Blockades and Strategic A2/AD in Cyberspace.

“Power Plants and Transportation Systems Are at Risk,” by Scott E. DePasquale, F14, president and CEO of the Financial Systemic Analysis & Resilience Center.

“Why Privacy is Essential to Security,” by Susan Landau, Bridge Professor in Cybersecurity at the Fletcher School and the Tufts School of Engineering.

Cybersecurity is a growing area of the Fletcher curriculum, but as you can tell from the backgrounds of the authors above, the subject has been studied here for quite some time.  And the Tufts Magazine feature isn’t all that’s happening on the topic right now.  I also want to point you toward an upcoming conference, “Protecting Civilian Institutions and Infrastructure from Cyber Operations: Designing International Law and Organizations,” taking place here on September 14 and 15 and organized by Fletcher’s new Center for International Law and Governance — a terrific start for a new center.