Inaugural Workshop on the State-of-the-Field of Cyber Conflict

The Cyber Conflict Studies Association and the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs co-hosted the inaugural Workshop on the State-of-the-Field of Cyber Conflict. The event brought together practitioners, academics and policymakers to explore the dynamics of cyber conflict: the forces, movements and behaviors of conflict and warfare over and through the Internet, connected devices, and other IT.

The first-ever workshop of its kind asked fundamental questions of the political, economic, historical, and legal underpinnings of cyber conflict. The objective of the workshop was to begin the exploration, discussion, and definition of Cyber Conflict as a field of study.

Breakout sessions focused on the core topics listed below:

• International Relations
• Tactical and Operational Level Dynamics of Cyber Conflict
• Strategic Dynamics of International Security
• Intelligence and Adversaries
• Cyber Conflict History
• Legal and Ethical Issues

Each breakout sessions was led by a senior researcher who worked with rapporteurs to provide substance and structure the discussion which followed Chatham House rules. In additional to established researchers, PhD candidates played a particularly significant role in the event as both rapporteurs and participants. The discussion of each topic was led by a senior researcher and a doctoral candidate rapporteur who documented the discussion.

The inaugural State of the Field workshop created a report that provided the baseline for future SOTF workshops.  As part of the report, CCSA created a comprehensive bibliography for each of the areas of focus for the workshop and defined what the working group understood to be the most significant key questions for each focus area.

2016 SOTF_Review_Copy