24th McLean Lecture: Cyber Law, Policy and Security Issues in the New Age of Nationalism

Tensions and mistrust among nations operating in "cyberspace" have been growing rapidly in recent years, with accusations concerning elections in the United States and elsewhere only the latest in a series of high-profile controversies over acceptable boundaries in the digital age. Meanwhile, the magnitude of the risks posed by sophisticated criminal hackers, saboteurs, and terrorist groups now threatens our critical infrastructure, our economies, our privacy and, in some cases, our lives. Against this backdrop, the surge of nationalism reflected by Brexit, the Trump victory, China's new cyber regulations, and similar movements in other countries has the potential to fuel further mistrust and insular cyber policy on the part of leading nations and regional bodies. The implications are enormous for the open, multi-stakeholder Internet we have enjoyed thus far; law enforcement, military and intelligence cooperation; national security review and policy regarding foreign investments, export control and sanctions; incentives for companies to invest in innovation and global operations; and our economy. Luke Dembosky (Class of '94), a partner at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security, will share insights from his many years of prosecuting notorious hackers and leading global enforcement operations, working as a diplomat to build bridges among nations on cyber policies and practices, and now advising multinational companies on cybersecurity and data privacy issues.