As we begin the new year, it’s time to take stock of the last. Since our founding on November 7, 2023, we’ve published 78 op-eds, trends analyses, and book reviews on emerging technologies and security. Our most read article was Monica Kello’s exploration of the cultural forces driving Russia’s foreign cyber operations, followed by Tom Johansmeyer’s debunking of the threat of ‘cyber catastrophe,’ comparing the infamous ‘NotPetya’ cyberattack to natural disasters.
It wasn’t all so serious though – we also recommended some cyber fiction, created an official playlist, and suggested some security-technology-themed beers to go with it.
Much of our work centred on Europe, with a particular emphasis on Russia and Ukraine, as well as the European Union and United Kingdom. Mark Raymond and Justin Sherman’s look at the authoritarian implications of Russia’s UN cybercrime treaty was insightful and terrifying, while Mamuka Kirkitadze closed out our year examining the impacts of Georgia’s turn northward. However, a shift in Germany’s cybersecurity posture may bring some hope for Europe, despite the bureaucratic barriers faced by German authorities trying to proactively combat cybercrime.
Beyond Europe, our next area of focus was Asia, with several articles each on North Korea, China, and Israel and Palestine. China is a heavyweight player that gets much attention, but not many realise that provincial governments play an outsized role in its cyber operations. North Korea also gets honourable mention. Pyongyang’s latest ploy includes using freelance IT workers to bypass Western sanctions.
Venturing further afield, Elena Grossfeld gave us another front to worry about with regards to Russia: space. Benjamin Charlton outlined what war in space would look like (or not) and Ben Silverstein discussed the EU’s space security strategy.
Many of our articles tackled pressing cyber policy questions. Our third most read article featured an anonymous European intelligence official asking ‘Can lawyers lose wars by stifling cyber capabilities?’ It prompted an unusual response from the UK’s intelligence, security, and cyber agency, defending law as an ‘essential element’ of effective cyber operations.
That debate was just one part of Binding Hook’s wide-ranging look at the ethics and norms of cyber operations - and of researching such operations. One of our managing editors, Max Smeets, detailed the considerations involved in using leak site data for analysing ransomware activity. The Virtual Routes team also investigated the ethics of ‘hacktivist’ group Predatory Sparrow.
Articles on defensive cyber operations, commercial regulation, and artificial intelligence all provided opportunities for authors to discuss the ethical and moral implications of technological progress. Daniel Moore reflected on his book ‘Offensive Cyber Operations: Understanding Intangible Warfare’, while Emily Otto found David Edelman’s ‘Rethinking Cyber Warfare: The International Relations of Digital Disruption’ a dense but vital read on the subject. We also covered the role of civilian hackers and technology companies in wartime and our own Taylor Grossman had some recommendations for European cyber rapid response teams.
Unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence was a major theme for our first year. We covered everything from the need for responsible development to the challenges of creating responsible principles. We even addressed Chinese censorship of AI content. We were proud to launch the Binding Hook AI-Cybersecurity Essay Prize Competition, in partnership with the Munich Security Conference and sponsored by Google.
Another key area of focus was the regulation and use of spyware and other commercial capabilities. First, we published a warning about the risks to democracy posed by spyware, written by MEP Sophie in t’ Veld. We also reviewed Laurent Richard and Sandrine Rigaud’s ‘Pegasus: How a Spy in Your Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy, Dignity, and Democracy’. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, Binding Hook managing editor James Shires proposed principles for governing cyber-intrusion technologies.
Throughout, we highlighted underappreciated social and political impacts of digital technologies, from Nate Allen’s article on African states’ interests in cyberspace to Noran Fouad’s book review on critical cybersecurity. The cybersecurity field is not exempt from alarming racial dynamics. We also published pieces exploring the influence of masculinity in cyber strategy, and the digital insecurity faced by the LGBTQ+ community, activists, and marginalised groups like India’s Dalits.
Topics we expect to see gaining prominence in the coming year include cyberattacks and espionage from Russia, a growing emphasis on independent cyber defence in Europe, and the close ties between the new Trump administration and the technology sector. We have articles planned on a variety of issues. Was there a ‘cyber war’ between Nigeria and South Africa? We will look into it. Can sabotage of undersea internet cables be stopped? We have an expert waiting to answer. What are the impacts of climate change on digital security? We won’t keep you waiting long to find out.
We look forward to another year of lively technology debate, incisive analysis, and expert commentary. And watch out for the announcement of the AI-Cybersecurity Essay Competition winners at the 2025 Munich Security Conference in February, with the winning pieces coming out in Binding Hook!
Chargement…
