Saturday 9 May
9.45am
Registration at Rewley House reception
10am
Attributing Cyber Covert Actions: Unmasking the Hackers - Craig Jarvis
This lecture explores the challenges of assigning cyber operations to their originators. We will examine what attribution is, why it is necessary, and how it is conducted. We will study attribution analysis frameworks, and how the process of public attribution occurs. Finally, we will explore how threat entities create false flags to misdirect investigators, and even to frame third parties. At the end of this lecture, you will understand the politics and practicalities of attribution.
11am
Tea and coffee break
11.30am
Cyber Espionage I: A New Spying Era? - Craig Jarvis
This lecture examines the history of cyber-espionage from the earliest known cases in the 1980s to the vast capabilities operated by today’s military and intelligence agencies. We analyse the components of a nation-state cyber-espionage programme, from the people beyond the keyboards, to the organisational processes that deliver high-calibre campaigns. Finally, we investigate the primary applications of cyber-espionage, including hack-and-leak operations, strategic intelligence acquisition, and the suppression of dissent.
1pm
Lunch break
2pm
Cyber Espionage: Revolution or Evolution? (II) - Craig Jarvis
This lecture examines how digital technologies have affected agent running across all stages of the SADRAT framework (Spotting, Assessing, Developing, Recruiting, Agent Running, and Termination). In particular, it considers how hacking techniques can complement traditional agent-running operations. It then analyses how human intelligence can support and enable hacking activities. Next, the lecture explores the impact of digital technologies on counter-intelligence. Finally, it examines the potential of cyber espionage targeting supply chains, which have proven to be a highly effective attack vector for large-scale breaches that may yield significant intelligence gains.
3.30pm
Tea and coffee break
4pm
Disinformation: Weakening Nations with Deception - Craig Jarvis
This lecture investigates how adversaries exploit and contaminate digital information ecosystems for strategic gain. We begin by unpacking the core principles of disinformation - where it flourishes, why certain environments become fertile ground for manipulation, and how psychological and social factors make individuals vulnerable to persuasive falsehoods. Next, we turn to synthetic media. With the rise of generative AI, threat actors can now deploy convincingly fabricated content - audio, images, and video - that transcends traditional limitations such as language barriers or cultural nuance, dramatically amplifying reach and impact. Finally, we assess countermeasures designed to detect, disrupt, and diminish the spread of disinformation.
5pm
End of day
6.30pm
Dinner (optional)
Sunday 10 May
8am
Breakfast (for those staying at Rewley House)
10am
Cyber Proliferation: Hacking for Sale - Craig Jarvis
This lecture surveys how cyber espionage capabilities have spread to numerous countries through commercial transaction. We first explore the conditions that created the market demand for private hacking products and services. We then analyse a contract from a commercial surveillance vendor to understand how hacking transactions are structured. Finally, we explore the instruments that are being deployed in an attempt to limit proliferation.
11.15am
Tea and coffee break
11.45am
Cyber Conflict in the Russo-Ukraine War - Neil Ashdown
This lecture will reveal how cyber conflict has evolved in the Russo-Ukraine War, tracing the digital battlefront from before the full-scale 2022 invasion to the present day. We will break down the operations conducted by Russia, Ukraine, and other actors, providing a clear understanding of who is fighting and what their strategic objectives are. Using real-world case studies and 'what if' scenarios, you will be able to assess the true significance of this ongoing conflict in the digital world.
1pm
Lunch break
2pm
The Future of Warfare in the Digital Age - Neil Ashdown
This lecture will explore how digital technologies are fundamentally reshaping modern warfare and the battlefield. This lecture uses case studies from global conflicts – from the Falklands to Armenia-Azerbaijan to Iran – to provide an understanding of contemporary military operations on land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace. Attendees will learn about key concepts such as "multi-domain operations" and examine likely trends for the future of warfare, alongside disruptive alternative scenarios.
3.15pm
Tea and coffee break
3.45pm
Countering Cyber Threats - Craig Jarvis
This lecture analyses how states counter cyber threats, from criminal prosecutions to hacking the hackers. We start with reviewing the necessity of countering digital threats, before examining the core considerations in doing so. We then step through the portfolio of countermeasures whilst analysing each the escalatory risks of each option. By the end of this lecture, you will have a thorough awareness of the measures that nation-states can deploy to attempt to counter cyber threats.
5pm
End of weekend
