09/28/2017 Cybersecurity and Internet Governance Speaker Series - Peter Swire: “The Non-Code Aspects of Cybersecurity”

Professor Swire will provide a general discussion of his two decades as a scholar and government official in the area of cybersecurity. He will present new research on a conceptual structure for organizing the non-code aspects of cybersecurity. Computer scientists are familiar with the seven layers of the OSI model, from physical to application layer. Swire is developing a 10-layer model for cybersecurity, adding the “natural language” layers. Layer 8 applies to private-sector organizations, and is dominated by firm management decisions and contracts. Layer 9 is the government, which sets laws. Layer 10 is international, where diplomacy operates. Significant vulnerabilities exist at each of these layers, and can undermine cybersecurity efforts at the traditional seven layers if organizations, governments, and international relations are not handled effectively. The new conceptual structure can clarify the multiple tasks and institutional challenges needed to assure cybersecurity