The overarching question imparting urgency to this exploration is: Can U.S.-Russian contention in cyberspace cause the two nuclear superpowers to stumble into war? In considering this question we were constantly reminded of recent comments by a prominent U.S. arms control expert: At least as dangerous as the risk of an actual cyberattack, he observed, is cyber operations’ “blurring of the line between peace and war.” Or, as Nye wrote, “in the cyber realm, the difference between a weapon and a non-weapon may come down to a single line of code, or simply the intent of a computer program’s user.”
This new weekly seminar will bring current and former practitioners from the intelligence community together with Harvard students to discuss various intelligence-related topics in an informal setting. The discussion will be led by a different expert each week, who will address topics such as "Whistle Blowers, Traitors, and Spies in the Digital World," "Women in Intelligence," "The Ethics of Intelligence," and other themes relating to both the operational and practical aspects of intelligence, as well as it's role in national and international policy and decision making.
The lunch will take place in Bell Hall (B500), from 12:00-1:00 PM and is open to all Harvard faculty, fellow, students, and staff who are interested in expanding their knowledge and awareness of intelligence issues. No RSVP required. Bring your own lunch!