Cyber Security

An increasing number of states are consolidating national cyber defense capabilities into specialized, often militarized units. Meanwhile, irregular and terrorist organizations are moving to cyberspace as avenue through which to launch attacks on institutions, businesses and communities around the world. Moreover, private sector entities, as repositories of strategic or valuable information, often bear the brunt of hostile digital activity. However, with cyber conflict escalating, institutions are developing defensive capabilities, utilizing their accumulated technological know-how to prevent and tackle digital threats.

Cyber security research at ISDP works to identify information security concerns on the policy level, as well as to contribute to institutions developing necessary resources and skills for the implementation of a collective response. ISDP aims at explore tools, strategies, and institutions that can help state and non-state actors to understand and effectively deal with security threats related to cyberspace.

Enablement besides Constraints: Addressing a Cyber Multidisciplinary Framework for the Promotion of Human Security in the European High North (ECoHuCy)

ISDP is a partner in the project Enablement besides Constraints: Addressing a Cyber Multidisciplinary Framework for the Promotion of Human Security in the European High North (ECoHuCy), together with the Northern Institute of Environmental and Minority Law, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway and Swansea University (UK). The project is funded by Nordforsk.

The project claims that the primary aim of digitalisation and cybersecurity policies should be the advancement of human wellbeing. In order to justify the claim, it scrutinises digitalisation and cybersecurity from the human security perspective. Its empirical focus is on the European High North which particular characteristics – delicate balance between the nature and human practices, vast distances, sparse and ageing population, limited resources and infrastructures, harsh climate, vulnerability in the face of environmental threats – have only partially been recognised in the national frameworks of Finland, Sweden and Norway. Alongside scrutinising the effects of top down policies facilitating and securing digitalisation, the research project interacts with people and communities in the region to find out their associated needs, interests and fears. The aim is to make bottom up influence possible through knowledge production and dissemination.

Read more on the Arctic Centre’s website.