Participation of the Cybersecurity Institute (CyberAlps) in the 2024 International Cybersecurity Forum

The InCyber International Cybersecurity Forum (formerly the FIC) is Europe's leading cybersecurity event. A key venue for international discussions on digital security and trust issues, it is a focal point for cybersecurity actors. Year after year, it brings together experts, politicians and industry leaders to share their analyses and best practices. At its last edition in 2024, the Cybersecurity Institute (CyberAlps), through the participation of its director, Karine Bannelier, made several significant contributions, emphasising the importance of international cooperation to meet the challenges of the digital world.

Cybersecurity Institute at FIC 2024

Participation in the Round Table: "International Cooperation: Key to a Secure Digital Future in the Face of Cybercrime?

Participants:

• Karine BANNELIER, Dir. Cybersecurity Institute, UNIVERSITY GRENOBLE ALPES
• Jan KRALIK, Programme Manager, COUNCIL OF EUROPE
• Léonard ROLLAND, Sous-directeur de la Cybersécurité, MINISTERE DE L'EUROPE ET DES AFFAIRES ETRANGERES
• Marysol MCPHERSON, Director General, Cyber Mission Integration p.i. CANADIAN CENTRE FOR CYBERSECURITY
• Michaël DE LAET, Head of Team AP Cyborg, EUROPOL / EUROPEAN CYBERCRIME CENTER (EC3)

At this round table on international cooperation in the fight against cybercrime, Karine Bannelier addressed a number of crucial issues with the other participants. In particular, she analysed the main issues at stake in the UN negotiations on a convention against cybercrime. She also explained the reasons for Western reluctance towards such a convention, how the new UN convention could be reconciled with the Budapest Convention, and the challenges in terms of international cooperation. Finally, she discussed the future prospects for the UN Convention, highlighting the opportunities that lie ahead in the field of international cooperation on cybersecurity.

Organisation and Moderation of the Round Table: "After War, Conditions for Peace in the Digital Sphere"

Participants :

• Ambassador Ernst NOORMAN, Ambassador at large for Cyber Affairs, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE NETHERLANDS
• Stéphane DUGUIN, Chief Executive Officer, CYBER PEACE INSTITUTE
• Andrezj KOZLOWSKI, Assistant Professor, UNIVERSITY OF LODZ
• Mauro VIGNATI, Adviser Digital Technologies of Warfare, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS

At this round table, moderated by Karine Bannelier, the speakers offered a variety of insights into the consequences of the war in Ukraine. In particular, they addressed the issues surrounding the destruction of critical digital infrastructures; the question of the traditional dichotomy between war and peace in cyberspace; the links between the conflict in Ukraine and information warfare, highlighting the distinction between information warfare and cognitive warfare and their potential impact on civilians. The speakers also discussed the involvement of states, private companies and civilians in the conflict in Ukraine, assessing the risks and opportunities for each and the implications in terms of humanitarian law. Finally, they stressed the importance of documenting cyber activities during armed conflicts and explored ways of reducing the number of cyber attacks on critical infrastructures and promoting digital peace, notably by drawing on international initiatives such as the Paris Appeal for Trust and Security in Cyberspace and the Freedom Online Coalition.
This cross-disciplinary approach made it possible to address the complexity of the challenges posed by armed conflicts to digital security and underlined the importance of a multi-dimensional approach involving various players to ensure the security and protection of critical infrastructures.

Participation in the SmartTech "Grand Debrief" on Chaine B-Smart: "AI & Cybersecurity: Is Europe Sufficiently Equipped?"

During her participation in SmartTech's "Grand Debrief" on the theme of "AI & Cybersecurity: is Europe adequately equipped?", Karine Bannelier, in the company of Tariq Krim (founder of Cybernetica.fr) and Guillaume Tissier (director of the InCyber Forum) discussed a number of topical issues:
In particular, they discussed digital security during the Paris Olympic Games. Karine emphasised the importance of cooperation between states to guarantee digital security. She also returned to Europe's role in overseeing and regulating new technologies, particularly in the field of cybersecurity, referring to directives such as NIS 1 and NIS 2, and the IA Act. She also addressed the challenges of cyber espionage and the political cooperation needed to tackle it. She also reviewed the progress made in the negotiations on the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime and the obstacles encountered in the discussions, notably due to the positions of Russia and China.
Karine Bannelier's contributions underlined the commitment of the CyberSecurity Institute (CyberAlps) to promoting cybersecurity and international cooperation.