CyberPeace Institute Expands to The Hague to Strengthen Global Cybersecurity

Cyber threats are escalating around the world and it is the most vulnerable who are often bearing the heaviest burden. Given the global nature of cybersecurity, the CyberPeace Institute is expanding its mission with their first international office in The Hague. They aim to provide systemic solutions to protect those most at risk in cyberspace, non-profit organisations. Founded with support from industry leaders like Mastercard, Microsoft, and the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, CyberPeace Institute an independent non-profit is making significant impact at a crucial moment.

The CyberPeace Institute was established in response to an urgent and uncomfortable reality. There is a drastic mismatch between the intensity of cyber threats towards non-profit organisations and their ability to protect themselves. Non-profits are increasingly targeted by criminal groups, state actors, and other parties that compromise their ability to serve communities in need. 

Stéphane Duguin, CEO of CyberPeace Institute, stressed that this is “leading to a situation where the most vulnerable get more and more vulnerable.” To address this, the CyberPeace Institute employs a three fold strategy. First, they provide hands-on cybersecurity assistance for free to non-profits to improve the defenses of organisations that lack the means to do it themselves. Next is independent threat analysis by tracing and documenting the cyber threat landscape. This allows the institute to help the entire market in addition to their individualised services. This analysis was crucial during events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and following the invasion of Ukraine. Finally, they do policy advocacy using the findings from their work to create widespread change in the digital space. Their advocacy emphasises the need to enhance protection measures and ensure more accountability within the space. 

One of the CyberPeace Institute’s most impactful initiatives is their CyberPeace Builders. It was launched as a “ launched a first of its kind, cybersecurity programme through corporate volunteering,” shared Stéphane. The programme which has close to a thousand volunteers from over 200 companies allows top end cybersecurity experts to work on societally beneficial projects for non-profits for free. Through these partnerships and collaborations they are currently servicing over 300 non-profit organisations and Stéphane hopes to serve over 1 million non-profits by 2035. This programme could fundamentally change the security landscape for the most vulnerable.

Collaborations

Beyond the corporate world, the CyberPeace Institute is collaborating with universities and other non-profit organisations to scale their impact. They are partnered with the Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity at UC Berkeley and regularly host trainees and students who join specific programmes within the institute. Cybersecurity needs talented individuals and Stéphane stressed that“[interfacing] with academia is important to build the workforce of tomorrow.” Partnering with organisations like the Shadowserver Foundation and Connect2Trust bolsters their capacity to deliver free public security services globally. By aligning with similar mission driven organisations, they are building a network to improve cybersecurity standards worldwide. 

Obvious choice

Following Stéphane’s more than ten years in The Hague at the French Embassy and Europol, the decision to open the institute’s first expansion office in The Hague was an obvious choice. Stéphane noted that the city is “pushing quite an ambitious agenda and strategy around cybersecurity.” The CyberPeace Institute has a global mindset and focus and the proximity to other international institutions in The Hague and Zuid-Holland will mean the institute will be able to tap into a global network and strong local ecosystem.

The CyberPeace Institute landed in The Hague with support from InnovationQuarter and The Hague & Partners’ Business Agency who Stéphane thanked for their support in navigating legal frameworks and making introductions to relevant partners. 

They opened their office in The Hague Humanity Hub who houses peace and justice focused organisations focused on collaboration. Co-funded by The City of The Hague and collaborating with The Humanity Hub,  Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure (DIVD) and CSIRT.global the institute launched “The Cyber Secure The Hague: NGO Support Program”. This program launched last year to offer free cybersecurity support to up to 200 humanitarian, development and peace NGOs in The Hague.

Ambitions

With their headquarters in Geneva, the institute has 26 employees and plans to cautiously grow its team in the Netherlands. Their aim is to have three to five employees based in The Hague in the next few years, enabling them to scale their cybersecurity services and lead in threat analysis. Their expansion is a call to action to the private sector in the Netherlands and worldwide, inviting them to join the CyberPeace Builders programme and channelling their expertise to protect the most vulnerable.

Engaging the corporate world and bringing together stakeholders is crucial to the CyberPeace Institute’s mission. This is highlighted by their recent conference “Beyond 125 Years: Securing our World’s Digital Future” held at the Peace Palace together with the City of The Hague and the Global Cyber Alliance during the Cybersecurity Week. This event urged philanthropists and global leaders to support the establishment of a cybersecurity fund for the common good of the peace ecosystem. Both at this event and now, the CyberPeace institute extends an open invitation to organisations and individuals interested in contributing to the protection of those most vulnerable within the cyber space.

Source: InnovationQuarter