CIP Program Participates in Cyber Conflict Legal Workshop

July 25-26, 2006.
Harvard Faculty Club
Cambridge, MA

On July 25-26, the CIP Program sent Maeve Dion and Brett Callahan to participate in a Legal Workshop organized by the Cyber Conflict Studies Association (CCSA).  The workshop was held on the campus of Harvard University, and was co-sponsored by the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research.

This two-day brainstorming event was organized by CCSA in order to explore the legal issues related to cyber conflict.  One goal was to develop a research agenda and networking base for students in law, public policy, and information technology, as well as for other researchers. The workshop participants included both government and private sector legal professionals, information technologists, policy experts, and academics.  There was an impressive attendance by representatives of the military and intelligence communities.

The first day opened with a keynote speech from Michel Bourbonniere, of the Canadian Department of Justice, and continued with presentations from David Dittrich, University of Washington Center for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity;  Thomas Dukes, U.S. Department of Justice;  Col. Charles Williamson, Air Intelligence Agency;  and Lt. Col. Guillermo Carranza, Joint Task Force / Global Network Operations.

After the presentations, the participants separated into two working groups -- Cyber Conflict as a Use of Force and Armed Attack, and Cyber Conflict as Crime, Espionage, and Terrorism.  The CCSA kept minutes of the working groups’ discussions, and at the end of the second day, each working group reported a distilled list of suggested research topics.  For information on the final work products from this workshop (not yet released), please watch the CIP Program website or contact Maeve Dion.

In addition to this Legal Workshop, the CCSA is organizing similar events that will hopefully enhance the cyber conflict research agenda in the areas of “Theoretical, Policy and Strategy, and Infrastructure.”  CCSA currently has a Call for Papers for its 2006 Fall Symposium (which will be co-sponsored by the CIP Program and will be held at the GMU Law School), and CCSA is also accepting submissions for the January issue of the Cyber Conflict Journal.