1. Managing the Cyber Risk in a Decoupled World: Does This Bring Potential Opportunities in Computer Science? (Invited Talk)
- Author
-
Roberto Baldoni, Baldoni, Roberto, Roberto Baldoni, and Baldoni, Roberto
- Abstract
The last thirty years witnessed the growth of both globalization and digital transformation, characterized by information systems becoming interconnected and distributed on a worldwide scale with IT aimed to become a commodity. Cloud computing and blockchain being examples of such robust and distributed technologies which have been the main driver of this globalization process. Global technologies and infrastructures paved the way to organic and highly frequent interactions between millions of companies and organizations in multiple countries almost irrespective of geopolitical implications establishing global and complex interconnected supply chains whose aim was mainly keeping software/devices costs low. This created a virtuous loop that generated an exponential increase of countries' digitalization process and globalized industries. Like energy, IT progressively became a strategic geopolitical factor as the nation’s vital services implementation went digital. As a consequence, governments realized IT cannot be a simple commodity and that they have to manage the cyber risk associated with procured IT in strategic sectors like, for instance, telecommunication, finance and transportation. Governments have to understand and mitigate IT risks coming from these globalized supply chains against operations of potential powerful adversaries. Even a single supply chain dependency can be a risk, also from a national security perspective, when such dependency is established by a provider/vendor under the direct political influence of an untrusted nation or a trusted provider/vendor victim of a state-backed cyber attack. The recent Ukrainian crisis and the large degree of tension between US and China are amplifying risks coming from globalized supply chains in a world that is politically liquid polarizing in at least two blocks. In addition, the globalization process has shown its natural limits and frailty culminating with the global supply chain crisis created by the effect
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF