Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024

June 17, 2024 | ESMT Berlin | Audimax

China's Cyber Challenge

The Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024, co-organized by the German Federal Foreign Office (AA), the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy (IFSH) and the Digital Society Institute (DSI) at ESMT Berlin, brought together experts to discuss the challenges posed by China's cyber operations and technological ambitions. The disruptive potential of China's vision for a global Internet, driven by geopolitical interests, challenges the fundamental values of openness, security and interoperability. China's extensive cyber operations underscore the urgency for countries to strengthen their cyber defenses amid heightened geopolitical tensions.

The conference explored three main themes: enhancing cybersecurity and national resilience against Chinese cyber threats, countering China's challenge to the international legal order, and addressing the digital consequences of geopolitical tensions. The conference consisted of two high-level panels and three thematic break-out tracks that assessed security risks, explored collective remedies at the multilateral and national levels, and addressed specific issues related to prevention, capacity building, emergency assistance, and international law. The first panel focused on China's goals and capabilities in cyberspace, the role of Chinese tech companies, and China's vision for the future of the international order. Experts discussed China’s broader technological ambitions and digital strategy. The second panel analyzed the challenges posed by China's international cyber operations and espionage, assessing risks for European technological capabilities and secure digital transformation.

Following the panels, three simultaneous break-out tracks delved into policy responses and solutions. Track A focused on enhancing cybersecurity and national resilience against Chinese cyber threats. Track B addressed strategies to counter China's challenge to the multilateral system and seek cooperation in areas like Internet Governance and AI. Track C centered on resilience against the digital consequences of geopolitical tensions, especially in the Taiwan Strait. Experts and participants discussed potential diplomatic, political, and technological responses interactively. In the final panel, the solutions and ideas developed during the break-out tracks were consolidated and discussed, with a focus on identifying practical steps that democratic governments and societies must take to counter these challenges.

The in-person event took place on June 17, 2024 from 9:00 to 17:30 followed by a reception at ESMT Berlin, Schloßplatz 1, 10178 Berlin, Germany. The event followed the Chatham House rule, involving stakeholders from academia, government, industry, civil society, and the military.

Below you can find the agenda for the event.

Impressions

Dr. Melinda Crane-Roehrs at the Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024 at ESMT Berlin

Opening of the Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024 at the Digital Society Institute (DSI) at ESMT Berlin

Welcoming address by the German Cyber Ambassador Dr. Regine Grienberger

Keynote on Human Rights by Brett Solomon, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Access Now

Keynote on international stability by James Appathurai, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber at NATO

Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024

Dr. Melinda Crane-Roehrs at the Digital Society Institute at ESMT Berlin

June 17, 2024

This event was co-organized by the German Federal Foreign Office, Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH) and the Digital Society Institute (DSI) at ESMT Berlin

Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024

Opening of the conference at the Digital Society Institute at ESMT Berlin

June 17, 2024

This event was co-organized by the German Federal Foreign Office, the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH) and the Digital Society Institute at ESMT Berlin

Shaping Cybersecurity Conference

Welcoming address by the German Cyber Ambassador Dr. Regine Grienberger

June 17, 2024

Shaping Cybersecuity Conference 2024

Keynote on Human Rights by Brett Solomon, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Access Now

June 17, 2024

Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024

Keynote on international stability by James Appathurai, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber at NATO

June 17, 2024

Agenda | Shaping Cybersecurity Conference 2024

An opening-reception was hosted on the eve of the conference on Sunday, 16 June 2024 at Internationaler Club im Auswärtigen Amt, Kurstr. 36, 10117 Berlin. June 17, 2024, 9:00 - 17:30 ESMT Berlin, Schlossplatz 1, 10178 Berlin	⠀
8:30 - 9:30	Registration and Coffee
9:30 - 9:35	Welcome address Opening by Cyber Ambassador of the German Federal Foreign Office Regine Grienberger Conference moderation by Melinda Crane, independent journalist
9:35 - 10:10	Keynote perspectives: Protection of Human Rights by Brett Solomon, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Access Now, Australia National Security and Resilience by Friederike Dahns, Director-General Cyber and Information Security, Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, Germany International Stability by James Appathurai, Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber, NATO, Canada
10:10 - 11:10	Panel I: China‘s vision for the global internet and the future of the international order Rogier Creemers, Lecturer in Modern Chinese Studies, Leiden University, Netherlands Eleanor Rees, Deputy Cyber Director, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), United Kingdom Antonia Hmaidi, Senior Analyst Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), Germany James Lewis, Senior Vice President and Director of Strategic Technologies Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), USA Zoe Hawkins, Technology Policy Specialist, TechPol Design Center, Australia
11:10 - 11:30	Coffee break
11:30 - 12:30	Panel II: Challenges of China’s cyber operations to a secure digital transformation David Mussington, Executive Assistant Director for Infrastructure Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), USA Christian D’Cunha, Head of Unit, Cyber Coordination Task Force, DG Connect, European Commission Chris A. Demchak, Professor, Strategic and Operational Research Department, U.S. Naval War College, USA Michael Gams, Head of Division, Foreign Intelligence Service of Germany (BND), Germany Jo M., Director Secure Technology, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), United Kingdom (tbc.) Dirk Häger, Director-General Operative Cyber Security, Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Germany
12:30 - 14:00	Lunch break
14:00 - 16:00	Thematic Workshops running in parallel Track A: Bolstering national cyber resilience of democratic institutions and critical infrastructure Caroline Agsten, Threat Context Lead for China, Microsoft, USA Käsper Kivisoo, Deputy Director of CERT, National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-EE), Estonia Angela Sasse, Head of Chair Human-Centered Security, Ruhr Universität Bochum, Germany Christian D’Cunha, Head of Unit, Cyber Coordination Task Force, DG Connect, European Commission Valentin Weber, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, and Technology, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), Germany Piret Pernik, Researcher, Strategy Branch, NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre for Excellence (CCDCOE), Estonia (tbc.) Moderator: Matthias Schulze, IFSH (Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at University of Hamburg) The fictitious scenario will be independently provided by IFSH and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Foreign Office. Track B: Countering and engaging with China within the multilateral system Nadine Godehardt, German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), Germany Leonard Rolland, Deputy Director of Cybersecurity, Ministry of Europe and Foreign affairs, France Alicia Romano, Senior Advisor, Office of China Coordination, Department of State, USA Carl Fredrik Wettermark, Senior Director and Deputy Head of the Office for Intelligence Coordination at the National Security Council, Prime Minister’s Office, Sweden Moderator: John Reyels, Head of Cyberstaff, Federal Foreign Office, Germany Track C: Building resilience against potential consequences of geopolitical tensions Sergej Epp, CISO Central Europe, Palo Alto Networks, Germany Joyce Hakmeh, Deputy Director International Security, Chatham House, United Kingdom Teo Ling, Deputy Director, RSIS Cyber Group, Singapore Andrew Seiffert, Senior Counsel for Infrastructure Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), USA Christopher Painter, President, The Global Forum on Cyber Expertise Foundation, USA Moderator: Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Director of DSI, ESMT (European School of Management and Technology) The fictitious scenario for this workshop will be independently provided by ESMT and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Foreign Office.
16:00 - 16:30	Coffee break
16:30 - 17:30	Sharing and Reflecting – Workshop Take-Aways and closing of conference Final remarks by Cyber Ambassador of the German Federal Foreign Office Regine Grienberger
17:30 - 20:00	Networking Reception