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Top Takeaways from “Securing Tomorrow: The Future of Cyber Threats and Global Defense”

In partnership with Samsung

October 29, 2024

Hi Intriguer!

Ever wonder what cybercrime and icebergs have in common? No? Well, after last Thursday’s event, I can’t stop thinking about it! 🧊

At Securing Tomorrow: Cyber Threats & Global Defense, we dived deep beneath the surface of the cyber world. Turns out, much like an iceberg, there's a whole lot more happening below than what we see above water.

We had a full house at Samsung’s DC office, buzzing with energy and curiosity. From the staggering fact that cybercrime is set to cost the world $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 (yikes!) to eye-opening discussions on AI’s role in cybersecurity, the evening unfolded with powerful takeaways.

To those who joined us—thank you for making it such a fantastic evening! 🙏 And if you couldn't make it, no worries. We've got the full recording and key takeaways waiting for you below. Trust me, you’ll want to hear what our stellar lineup of experts had to say.

So, is this email about icebergs or cyber threats? Maybe a bit of both. But mostly, it's about sharing the insights and excitement from an incredible night. See you at the next one!

Stay curious,

- Taylor Gehrcke, Head of Events

WHAT THEY SAID 📣

🌏 "With major conflicts like Ukraine, geopolitical tensions directly influence cybersecurity cooperation. Nothing quite unites countries like a shared imminent threat, and this urgency has driven unprecedented levels of collaboration among governments and private sectors."

Liesyl Franz, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cyberspace Security, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, U.S. Department of State

🛠️ "The biggest challenge in cybersecurity is the vast technical debt in our systems—aging infrastructure and software vulnerabilities that adversaries can exploit. Addressing this is critical to national security."

Dr. Matt Turek, GeneraDeputy Director, Information Innovation Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

🗳️ "The decentralized nature of U.S. election infrastructure, managed locally, adds resilience against cyber threats. It creates multiple layers of protection, making it challenging for adversaries to impact elections at scale."

Brandon Wales, Vice President of Cybersecurity Strategy, SentinelOne and Former Executive Director at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

INTRIGUE’S TAKE

Tl;dr: Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical challenge — it’s a critical pillar of national security and international diplomacy. As geopolitical tensions escalate, so do the stakes in the digital arena.

  • Cyber attacks as modern warfare:The Russian-Ukraine conflict highlighted how cyber capabilities can shape the battlefield before traditional military operations even begin. Cyberattacks targeting infrastructure can set the tone for a conflict, emphasizing the need for nations to prepare their defenses for a digital-first world.

  • AI’s double-edged sword: Artificial intelligence is transforming cybersecurity but is also a potential weapon for adversaries. The race is on to leverage AI for defense, as highlighted by DARPA’s ambitious initiatives to automate vulnerability detection. As Dr. Matt Turek noted, the line between AI as a protector and a threat is increasingly thin, and whoever masters this technology will shape the future of digital security.

  • Digital solidarity and global cooperation: The concept of ‘digital solidarity’ emerged as a critical theme, stressing the importance of international partnerships in cybersecurity as a transnational issue. It’s not just about protecting one’s own borders but also about supporting allies and holding bad actors accountable on a global scale. As DAS Liesyl Franz said, “Standing together is essential to bringing collective resources to countries in need.”

  • The role of the private sector: In the digital age, companies like Samsung play a critical role in the cybersecurity ecosystem. Eric Tamarkin emphasized the importance of securing IoT devices and 5G networks as a foundation for safer digital spaces. With the private sector on the front lines of these challenges, collaboration with government entities is more crucial than ever.

Also worth noting:

  • AI and cybersecurity competitions like DARPA’s AI Cyber Challenge are pushing the limits of what’s possible, with the potential to revolutionize how we detect and patch vulnerabilities.

  • The U.S. national cybersecurity strategy is shifting to take the burden off end users and place it on entities that are better positioned to handle threats. This likely means more responsibility for tech providers.

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