Cyber security is a key concern for societies reliant on networked information infrastructures for a broad spectrum of social, economic and political activities. Threats to the integrity and functionality of these systems are many, varied and dynamic, as are the ways they may be compromised or leveraged by adversaries, criminal or political. The Cyber Security Research Group (CSRG) considers the nature and character of these threats and formulates appropriate ways of thinking and doing cyber security in the service of society.
The CSRG is an intellectual hub for the study of a wide range of issues in cyber security and allied fields, including cyberwar and cyberwarfare, national and military cyber strategy, critical infrastructure protection, information security, information warfare, digital surveillance, cybercrime and cyberespionage.
We encourage innovation in theory, concepts and methods and apply these to contemporary problems of cyber security, whilst stimulating discussion and engagement across academia, government, enterprise, defence and security agencies, media and the general public.
Activities
Contesting Global Cyberspace Governance
Dr Xuechen Chen (LAPS), co-edited a special issue of The International Spectator (2022) with Yifan Yang (East China Normal University) on comparative approaches to global cyber governance.
Cyber Resilience and Leadership
Steve Hill, CSRG visiting senior research fellow, published two papers with Professor Sadie Creese (University of Oxford) on the importance of leadership to UK cyber resilience.
Lessons from COVID-19 for Strategic Risk Assessment
Insights from the panel discussion held jointly between IAAC and King’s College London Cyber Security Research Group exposes both strengths and weaknesses within systems, government and society as a whole. Chaired by Dr Tim Stevens (King's College London), panellists included Chi Onwurah MP, Professor Ciaran Martin (Oxford), Dr Louise Bennett (Digital Policy Alliance), Steve Hill (Credit Suisse/KCL) and John Hayday (BT).
Cyber Operations and Preventive Diplomacy
A new 2020 report co-authored by Dr Camino Kavanagh for EU Cyber Direct explores the continued relevance of preventive diplomacy to cyber conflicts. Despite the novelty of some aspects of the cyber domain the old principles still apply, albeit that we need to take imaginative and intelligent steps to ensure that conflict prevention takes root as a permananet feature of cyber diplomacy.
Knowledge in the grey zone: AI and cybersecurity
Tim Stevens (2020) Knowledge in the grey zone: AI and cybersecurity. Digital War 1(1).
Intelligence in the cyber era: Evolution or revolution?
David Gioe, Michael S. Goodman and Tim Stevens (2020) Intelligence in the cyber era: Evolution or revolution? Political Science Quarterly 135(2): 191-224.
Huawei and UK foreign policy
"In the ongoing Huawei dispute, the UK is being squeezed between the two global superpowers, China and the US, and it has very little room for manoeuvre." Tim Stevens, 'Huawei and UK foreign policy', The UK in a Changing Europe, 21 July 2020.
Towards the ‘Third Revolution in Military Affairs’
Rod Thornton and Marina Miron (2020). Towards the ‘Third Revolution in Military Affairs’: The Russian military’s use of AI-enabled cyber warfare. The RUSI Journal
Strategic cyberterrorism: Problems of ends, ways and means
Tim Stevens (2019) Strategic cyberterrorism: Problems of ends, ways and means. In David Martin Jones, Paul Schulte, Carl Ungerer and M.L.R. Smith, eds., Handbook of Terrorism and Counter Terrorism Post 9/11. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 42-52.
Brexit and Cyber Security
Tim Stevens and Kevin O’Brien (2019). The RUSI Journal 164(3): 22-30.
Global code: Power and the weak regulation of cyberweapons
Tim Stevens (2019) In N. Hynek, O. Ditrych and V. Stritecky, eds., Regulating Global Security: Insights from Conventional and Unconventional Regimes. Palgrave Macmillan, 271-95.
Data Politics: Worlds, Subjects, Rights
Didier Bigo, Engin Isin and Evelyn Ruppert (2019) Routledge.
Deterring Russian cyber warfare: the practical, legal and ethical constraints faced by the United Kingdom.
Rod Thornton and Marina Miron (2019) Deterring Russian cyber warfare: the practical, legal and ethical constraints faced by the United Kingdom. Journal of Cyber Policy 4(2): 257-74.
Cyber Security: Threats and Responses for Government and Business.
Jack Caravelli and Nigel Jones (2019) Praeger Security International.
One to ponder: The UK’s ethical stance on the use of Artificial Intelligence in weapons systems
Rod Thornton, 17 June 2019, Defence-in-Depth, 17 June 2019.
Lessons from Special Operations Command: Cyber training for the multidomain force
Jennifer McArdle, Defense News/ C4ISRNET, 31 July 2019.
What the Huawei affair means for Anglo-American security cooperation
Tim Stevens, The UK in a Changing Europe, 24 May 2019.
Rethinking Cyber Training for the Non-Cyber Warrior: Conference Summary and Conclusions
Jennifer McArdle, Pell Center for Public Policy and International Relations (January 2019).
Activities
Contesting Global Cyberspace Governance
Dr Xuechen Chen (LAPS), co-edited a special issue of The International Spectator (2022) with Yifan Yang (East China Normal University) on comparative approaches to global cyber governance.
Cyber Resilience and Leadership
Steve Hill, CSRG visiting senior research fellow, published two papers with Professor Sadie Creese (University of Oxford) on the importance of leadership to UK cyber resilience.
Lessons from COVID-19 for Strategic Risk Assessment
Insights from the panel discussion held jointly between IAAC and King’s College London Cyber Security Research Group exposes both strengths and weaknesses within systems, government and society as a whole. Chaired by Dr Tim Stevens (King's College London), panellists included Chi Onwurah MP, Professor Ciaran Martin (Oxford), Dr Louise Bennett (Digital Policy Alliance), Steve Hill (Credit Suisse/KCL) and John Hayday (BT).
Cyber Operations and Preventive Diplomacy
A new 2020 report co-authored by Dr Camino Kavanagh for EU Cyber Direct explores the continued relevance of preventive diplomacy to cyber conflicts. Despite the novelty of some aspects of the cyber domain the old principles still apply, albeit that we need to take imaginative and intelligent steps to ensure that conflict prevention takes root as a permananet feature of cyber diplomacy.
Knowledge in the grey zone: AI and cybersecurity
Tim Stevens (2020) Knowledge in the grey zone: AI and cybersecurity. Digital War 1(1).
Intelligence in the cyber era: Evolution or revolution?
David Gioe, Michael S. Goodman and Tim Stevens (2020) Intelligence in the cyber era: Evolution or revolution? Political Science Quarterly 135(2): 191-224.
Huawei and UK foreign policy
"In the ongoing Huawei dispute, the UK is being squeezed between the two global superpowers, China and the US, and it has very little room for manoeuvre." Tim Stevens, 'Huawei and UK foreign policy', The UK in a Changing Europe, 21 July 2020.
Towards the ‘Third Revolution in Military Affairs’
Rod Thornton and Marina Miron (2020). Towards the ‘Third Revolution in Military Affairs’: The Russian military’s use of AI-enabled cyber warfare. The RUSI Journal
Strategic cyberterrorism: Problems of ends, ways and means
Tim Stevens (2019) Strategic cyberterrorism: Problems of ends, ways and means. In David Martin Jones, Paul Schulte, Carl Ungerer and M.L.R. Smith, eds., Handbook of Terrorism and Counter Terrorism Post 9/11. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, pp. 42-52.
Brexit and Cyber Security
Tim Stevens and Kevin O’Brien (2019). The RUSI Journal 164(3): 22-30.
Global code: Power and the weak regulation of cyberweapons
Tim Stevens (2019) In N. Hynek, O. Ditrych and V. Stritecky, eds., Regulating Global Security: Insights from Conventional and Unconventional Regimes. Palgrave Macmillan, 271-95.
Data Politics: Worlds, Subjects, Rights
Didier Bigo, Engin Isin and Evelyn Ruppert (2019) Routledge.
Deterring Russian cyber warfare: the practical, legal and ethical constraints faced by the United Kingdom.
Rod Thornton and Marina Miron (2019) Deterring Russian cyber warfare: the practical, legal and ethical constraints faced by the United Kingdom. Journal of Cyber Policy 4(2): 257-74.
Cyber Security: Threats and Responses for Government and Business.
Jack Caravelli and Nigel Jones (2019) Praeger Security International.
One to ponder: The UK’s ethical stance on the use of Artificial Intelligence in weapons systems
Rod Thornton, 17 June 2019, Defence-in-Depth, 17 June 2019.
Lessons from Special Operations Command: Cyber training for the multidomain force
Jennifer McArdle, Defense News/ C4ISRNET, 31 July 2019.
What the Huawei affair means for Anglo-American security cooperation
Tim Stevens, The UK in a Changing Europe, 24 May 2019.
Rethinking Cyber Training for the Non-Cyber Warrior: Conference Summary and Conclusions
Jennifer McArdle, Pell Center for Public Policy and International Relations (January 2019).