Digital Security and Economic Recovery

[Update] The recording of this event is now available.

The online high-level event ‘Digital Security and Economic Recovery: Boosting Confidence and Productivity through Secure Digital Technology’ is organised by DiploFoundation and the Swiss Confederation as part of the Geneva Dialogue on Responsible Behaviour in Cyberspace. The event will be opened with a keynote address by Swiss Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer. A dialogue, moderated by Mr Jovan Kurbalija (DiploFoundation), will follow with high-level officials from leading global companies: Ms Sabine Keller-Busse (UBS), Mr Eugene Kaspersky (Kaspersky), Mr Jeremy Thompson (Huawei), and Mr Casper Klynge (Microsoft).

Malicious activities in cyberspace are a significant drag on the global economy. A 2018 assessment by the US government estimated that cyber incidents are likely to have cost the US economy up to USD$106 billion in 2016, amounting to about 0.5% of GDP. Furthermore, cyber-attacks and security deficiencies in digital products undermine trust in digital technologies. As a result, delays in employing productivity-enhancing technologies throughout the economy are often an unfortunate, but regular occurrence. At the same time, the COVID-19 pan­demic has made the need to adopt digital solutions and their crucial value for the global economy all the more clear. As highlighted by the UN Secretary General in his Roadmap for Digital Cooperation, issues of trust and security need to be addressed in order to reap the benefits of the digital transformation and for reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This is a fundamental discussion to be held among all stakeholders, but one of particular importance to private sector investors, without whose confidence the global digital agenda will face significant hurdles.

The majority of cyber-attacks exploit vulnerabilities in digital products and services. Although there is a lively international debate about the responsibility of governments to establish baseline requirements for cybersecurity, and for manufacturers and service suppliers to apply the available standards, there is currently no consensus about these issues. Hence, there is a risk that governments set widely different requirements, while businesses pursue divergent industry practices. 

In this context, the Geneva Dialogue on Responsible Behavior in Cyberspace has been discussing industry roles and responsibilities throughout 2020, with the aim to establish globally shared best practices and baseline requirements for the security of digital products and services. An output document, which includes definitions of key concepts and a collection of good corporate practices about threat modelling, supply chain security, secure development, vulnerability management, and transforming internal processes to embrace security by design, has been published for comments. 

This high-level event will discuss how the fragmented regulatory environment impacts the security of digital products and services, including those in supply chains. It aims to clarify possible collaborative responses from both industry and governments on how to facilitate financial and economic recovery through trusted digital technologies.

The online event will take place on Thursday, 26th November 2020, 7:30–9:00am UTC / 08:30–10:00am CET

Speakers:

• Introduction: Keynote speech by Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer, Head of the Federal Department of Finance FDF, Switzerland
• Panel discussion:
  • Ms Sabine Keller-Busse, Member of the Group Executive Board, UBS AG
  • Mr Eugene Kaspersky, CEO, Kaspersky 
  • Mr Jeremy Thompson, Executive Vice President, Huawei Western European Region
  • Mr Casper Klynge, Vice President, European Government Affairs, Microsoft Corporation 

• Moderator: Mr Jovan Kurbalija, DiploFoundation