This fifth volume in the GCIG research collection, introduced by GCIG Director of Research Laura DeNardis, examines the current state of global cyber security and considers what must be done differently in the future to improve security, stability and trust online. Eleven scholars, in eight chapters, provide their research on a range of topics. Chapters in the first half of the collection analyze real trends in hacking, data breaches and other cybercrime; the dark Web’s impact on cyber governance and security; and the services, content and users of The Onion Router (Tor) browser, as well as the dilemmas in policing Tor. In the second half, researchers tackle the subjects of sovereign nation-states’ changing roles and competing interests and stakes in controlling cyberspace; the growing Internet of Things and accompanying security challenges and threats; and the increasing importance of institutions such as computer security incident response teams to battling cyber threats, sharing information and building international cooperation to increase trust and security in cyberspace. The volume concludes with the GCIG’s formal statement, “Toward a Social Compact for Digital Privacy and Security,” calling on stakeholders in the global community to look for solutions together, “with the goal of restoring trust and enhancing confidence in the Internet.”
In a volatile world, cyber security is an issue for all citizens, not only those online, and a precursor to Internet freedom and commerce. The research gathered here identifies a wide swath of contemporary challenges and policy recommendations for providing the stability and security online needed to sustain the digital economy and protect our day-to-day dependencies on cyberspace.
To read the Global Commission on Internet Governance’s additional research volumes, please visit: https://www.cigionline.org/series/gcig-research-volumes
