News & Announcements

Two days after presenting his credentials to President Trump, His Excellency Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, the newly appointed Ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, expressed optimism about bilateral relations between the two countries. Respondent Adil Najam, Dean of the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, was more cautious in his assessment of the relationship after years of "reset."

Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter was in Cambridge on Tuesday, July 26 to open the east coast office of the Defense Department's Defense Innovation Unit-Experimental (DIUx). The DIUx was launched by Carter a year ago to "rebuild the bridges between our national security endeavor...and America's wonderfully innovative and open technology community."

Michael Sulmeyer, director of the Belfer Center's Cyber Security Project, discusses the U.S. government's efforts to defend against cyber threats in the context of the legal battle between the FBI and Apple over its encryption methods.

Cambridge, MA – Michael Sulmeyer, former Director for Plans and Operations for Cyber Policy at the Department of Defense, has joined the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs as Director of its new Cyber Security Project. The Project, created by a $15 million gift from Center namesake Robert Belfer and his family, aims to build a conceptual arsenal to address the ways conflict may be waged and avoided in cyberspace. Sulmeyer’s research will anchor this effort, focusing on key questions such as the function of deterrence in cyberspace and how government and the private sector can work together in a crisis.

"As someone who has personally undergone the rigorous clearance process, I can tell you that the information these documents hold goes far beyond my Social Security number or the threat of credit card fraud. The government demands extensive information from potential employees — information that is deeply personal, ranging from individual medical history to the whereabouts and livelihoods of distant cousins."

Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology is a Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education program designed for senior leaders in government, military, and the private sector who are involved in the oversight of technology and creation of policy, as well as legal experts focusing on issues of cybersecurity; no computer science background is required to apply.

Melissa Hathaway gave an overview of the latest developments in cybersecurity from a US and then global perspective—and discussed what is at stake for companies and nations at a Centre for International Governance Innovation Policy Forum.

Dr. Ellis raises an interesting question: Does the pursuit of offensive cyber capabilities undermine domestic security? The conversation highlights a growing area of concern and ongoing debate.