We tackle the impact of digital and emerging technologies on global affairs
Opportunities
Research and Analysis
Virtual Routes conducts and promotes objective and thorough research and analysis on digital technologies and global affairs, carried out to the highest academic standards.
Binding Hook
Binding Hook offers a fresh and accessible take on the most pressing issues at the intersection of security and technology. It gathers and promotes diverse expert opinion, analysis, and critique from practitioners and researchers. The Binding Hook conversation centres on Europe, but also covers security and technology issues worldwide.
Colloquium
The Virtual Routes Colloquium provides cybersecurity researchers and practitioners with a platform to present and receive considered feedback on research projects and papers. In our monthly hour-long meetings, presentations are assigned an expert discussant before questions from the audience. The Colloquium is open to all, and participants are encouraged to contribute respectfully and constructively.
Other Research and Analysis
Virtual Routes contributes centrally to several cutting-edge research projects, from a Horizon Europe project on “Reigniting Multilateralism through Technology” (REMIT), to policy reports addressing the governance of spyware and other commercial cyber intrusion capabilities. Previous research reports focused on the role of cyber operations in the Ukraine war, among other topics.
Education and Practical Assistance
Virtual Routes enables people worldwide to develop new ideas and skills relating to digital technologies, and to put those skills into practice to make their communities more secure.
Cybersecurity Seminars
We have teamed up with Google.org to offer more and better learning and job opportunities in cybersecurity to students at universities in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Over 20 universities across 15 countries run dedicated programs providing much-needed cybersecurity skills to thousands of students, who in turn help thousands of organizations in their local communities.
Foundations of AI and Cybersecurity
The Foundations of Cybersecurity and AI course offers a live, twelve-week introduction to the key ideas, actors, and challenges at the intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. It explores how these two fields increasingly shape one another – from the potential use of AI tools in cyber operations to the security implications of large-scale AI systems. This selective course is taught by leading experts from academia, government, and industry. It combines rigorous academic foundations with real-world insight.
RANSOMWARE DEFENCE SUMMER BOOTCAMP
The Ransomware Defence Summer Bootcamp is a five-day intensive program for graduate students from around the world. The program is free of charge and designed to provide students with the technical, analytical, and policy skills needed to understand ransomware and help organizations better protect themselves against ransomware threats.
Through a mix of lectures, workshops, and hands-on projects, participants will learn how to detect, respond to, and mitigate ransomware attacks — and how to communicate effectively with affected organizations.
Cybersecurity Services Centre
With support from Google.org, we run a Cybersecurity Services Centre to provide a range of free services directly to underserved organizations we call “Critical Community Infrastructure”. These services are tailored to individual organizational needs and accompanied by expert guidance for implementation, as well as the opportunity for financial support.
Public engagement
Virtual Routes helps policymakers, industry, and civil society deliver positive change where it is needed most.
Fellowship
The Virtual Routes European Cybersecurity Fellowship is a year-long program for highly talented young European professionals, helping them develop and accelerate their careers in cybersecurity policy.
Advisory
Virtual Routes offers advisory services on issues of security and technology. Our advisory services cover research, education and policy, and we work with a range of government, corporate, and nonprofit clients.
Latest from
Assessing the impact of counter-ransomware interventions
How extreme is the cyber catastrophe insurance protection gap?
A fragmented ransomware ecosystem may be more threatening than we recognise
Thin sovereignty, thick autonomy
The European challenge
Engineering interdependence for Europe’s cybersecurity
Why control may be the wrong metric… and resilience the right
