Description: This session will take an expansive look at confidence building measures (CBMs) in cyberspace. An accelerating arms race between nations in the “fifth domain of conflict” – cyberspace – is likely to continue unabated without the imposition of meaningful processes and dialogues meant to reduce tensions and promote trust among competing and even allied countries. Such activities can mirror traditional approaches to confidence building in other conflict domains, including diplomatic engagements, information sharing, and technology exchanges, but might also involve innovative new approaches unique to cyberspace – including focusing on cooperative cybersecurity capacity building. The development of confidence building measures for cyberspace will need to leverage a diversity of perspectives, including those who have a knowledge of the technology and challenges posed by cybersecurity, as well as those who understand the nuances of statecraft that make such CBMs effective in other domains of conflict and interstate competition. To this end the panel will gather speakers to represent government perspectives and those of intergovernmental organizations, as well as speakers to share insights from civil society, academia and the technology industry. The session format will allow speakers to present their respective points of view as it relates to the potential of CBMs in cyberspace, as well as the opportunity to challenge and respond to one another on which approaches might be most effective. Importantly, the session will help educate those attending the session on this emerging area of cyber diplomacy and leave ample time for questions directly from those in attendance to the panelists. Agenda: • 5 minutes – Opening remarks from moderator setting the stage for the discussion, highlighting the current state of affairs as it relates to the pursuit of confidence building measures between states in cyberspace and letting those attending the panel know that a substantial amount of time will be saved for questions in the later portion of the session. • 25 minutes – Opening remarks from panelists sharing their perspectives on the major opportunities and challenges in establishing effective confidence building measures in cyberspace, and the ability of various stakeholder groups to support or hinder these efforts. • 30 minutes – Moderator asks pointed questions to respective speakers about avenues for advancement in this space and highlighting where there seem to be obstacles to further progress. Speakers will respond both to direct questions as well as to one another, representing both their individual and stakeholder perspectives as it relates to the positions of others. This portion of the session will identify points of agreement and divergence for those in attendance. • 30 minutes – Those attending the session, in the room or remotely, will be welcomed to ask direct questions of the speakers and share differing perspectives related to the development of confidence building measures in cyberspace. Once again, speakers will be encouraged to both address the questions that are asked as well as to respond to the answers provided by their colleagues.
Expected Outcomes: This session will provide important learnings and highlight significant opportunities for those in attendance from all stakeholder groups seeking to find ways to improve the cybersecurity ecosystem through meaningful actions to promote trust and increase capacity among states in cyberspace. For representatives from nations still establishing a posture on these issues, this session will highlight the various forums and opportunities for multilateral, regional and bilateral engagements pursued by other nations to advance their interests and build relationships in this space. For countries that have already been active in cyber diplomacy in recent years, this dialogue will provide an opportunity for them to share their insights and learn from others about what could be innovative new approaches to building trust and establishing cooperative relationships with governments and other stakeholders to reduce tensions and increase security online. For representatives from other stakeholder groups, including industry and civil society, the panel discussion will serve to illuminate the current status of an emerging and critically important policy space, as well as highlight the ways in which other stakeholders can contribute to government efforts at cyber diplomacy.
