International Cybersecurity Policy

interface’s work on international cybersecurity policy comprises 2 workstreams:

EU Cybersecurity Policy

interface covers, among other issues, EU cyber diplomacy, the EU cyber security architecture and current topic-specific legislation in the field of IT security. interface maps relevant EU legislation, policies and actors in the field of EU cybersecurity policy and analyses how their effective implementation and application can be facilitated. From 2018-2021, interface implemented the EU-funded project EU Cyber Direct together with the European Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) and the German Marshall Fund (GMF). interface has been represented on the Advisory Board of the successor project since 2021. interface is also part of the ENISA Ad-Hoc working group on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence and also sits on the Advisory Committee of the SPARTA project.

Cyber Diplomacy and Cyber Foreign Policy

With societies increasingly digitizing, cybersecurity becomes a focal point of their foreign and security policy. Since the challenges and threats in this field are global and constantly growing, international dialogue is more important than ever. However, current cyber diplomacy efforts are often in a stalemate and progress is minimal. Therefore, interface addresses the question of what an effective and forward-looking cyber diplomacy could look like. As cyber diplomacy is increasingly on the EU’s agenda, interface also examines the role cybersecurity plays in the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) as a regional focus.

By cyber diplomacy, we mean international dialogue, coordination, and cooperation with the goal of solving cybersecurity policy problems. International organizations like the UN and ad hoc like-minded formats such as the Counter-Ransomware Initiative or the Pall Mall Process play a significant role. At the same time, it is also crucial to include non-state actors – from the private sector, academia, and civil society – in so-called multi-stakeholder formats, as is done, for instance, in initiatives such as the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace. While the term cyber diplomacy refers to an international perspective – encompassing all actors dealing with cyber security problems at the international level – the concept of cyber foreign policy relates to the international activities of individual states.