[liberationtech] Fwd: Information Security Coalition Inaugural Workshop | 16 & 17 February 2012, Arlington, VA

Tue Feb 7 01:09:53 PST 2012

fyi

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Eric S Johnson <eric at informsec.net>
 Date: Mon, Feb 6, 2012 at 6:53 PM
Subject: Information Security Coalition Inaugural Workshop | 16 & 17
February 2012, Arlington, VA

The Information Security Coalition’s first event—targeted at the ISC’s
mandate to strive to promote consensus and collaboration in the
“cybersecurity for developing-world activists” community—is scheduled for
less than two weeks from now. More-detailed description after the graphic
(below).

Best,****

Eric****

** **

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** **

*Counterpart International solicits your participation in an
invitation-only full-day workshop in Washington, DC, on Friday, February 17
th, 2012 to define the strategic directions on which its new Information
Security Coalition (ISC) should focus (RSVP to workshop at informsec.net).*

** **

Civil society organizations and independent media increasingly find their
use of ICT (internet, mobile telephony) to communicate, organize, and
inform being impeded or thwarted by an increasingly tech-savvy, hostile
opposition in countries where their rights are under threat.  Many
activists and journalists have been provided with cybersecurity training,
but their ability to keep informed of the threats they face and
consistently apply best practices to secure their data and ensure access is
imperfect – their sites get taken down, their instant-messaging sessions
and e-mail surveilled, data pilfered from their computers, and their access
to online information limited.****

** **

Counterpart recently launched a USAID-funded two-pronged effort to provide
cybersecurity support to key local organizations and individuals working in
such countries. The ISC has begun hiring a *small team of technology
specialists who will provide mentoring to beneficiaries* in approximately
twenty countries which present a threat to the online safety of their
citizens. These cybersecurity officers will provide long-term support in
the fields of patch management, confidentiality, encryption, privacy,
cybercircumvention, and defense against targeted attacks. They will keep
abreast of the highest-priority threats in approximately five countries for
which each bears responsibility and help dozens of beneficiaries in those
countries learn how to protect themselves and stay protected against those
threats.  They will also function as resources for others working in the
cybersecurity field of international development.****

** **

Besides financing this work, the ISC also has a mandate to *improve the
availability and effectiveness of information security resources* that
activists and journalists need to stay safe. We are therefore convening a
select group of development and human rights NGOs, tool developers,
research institutions and advocates to discuss the current state of
cybersecurity resources, seek consensus on the major threats the ISC’s
beneficiaries face (now and in the near future), articulate what new
solutions need to be “brought to market” to meet those threats, and discuss
how to accomplish that. ****

** **

The ISC’s 2012 Inaugural Workshop will consist of a series of plenary
sessions looking at threats the ISC’s beneficiaries face:****

**·        **08h30 – 09h30: ISC presentation; which countries present
serious dangers to their citizens? whom to help?****

**·        **09h45 – 11h00: surveillance / encryption / PKI / MITM (data at
rest, in transit)****

**·        **11h15 – 12h30: attacks / hacking / DDOS (site security,
intrusion detection)****

**·        **14h00 – 15h30: censorship / privacy / anonymity (circumvention)
****

**·        **16h00 – 17h45: summary / consensus-building: what next?****

**·        **19h00:  informal dinner arrangements ****

Each session will be led by a facilitator who will moderate up to four
5-minute presentations and then lead a group discussion to compile what
information we have about what the major problems are, what realistic
solutions exist, what solutions are lacking, and what steps would ensure
sufficient solutions are available and deployed. The ISC places a premium
on evidence-based decision-making, prioritization, and a realist’s approach
to what works on the ground.****

** **

The ISC is holding a *pre-workshop reception and dinner the evening of
Thursday, February 16th* at Counterpart International’s offices in
Arlington, VA.****

** **

Current invitees include:****

**·        ***Development NGOs*: Internews, the National Democratic
Institute, IREX, ICFJ, International Media Support, Tactical Technology
Collective, the DCC, ISOC, ECCE, Videre;****

**·        ***Human rights support organizations*: Freedom House, Rights &
Democracy, Civil Rights Defenders, Free Press Unlimited, Front Line
Defenders, the APC, DRC, Expression Tech, Global Voices, RSF, CPJ, DD,
Engine Room, HRW, AI;****

**·        ***Researchers and policy advocates*: Harvard’s Berkman
Institute, the New America Foundation, Oxford’s OII, Stanford’s CDDRL,
Citizen Labs’ ONI, UC-Berkeley’s Counter Power Labs, Access, the CDT, EFF,
PI, Yale’s DeDis Dissent;****

**·        ***Solutions providers*: Tor, eQuality, Team Cymru, Telecomix,
DIT, Guardian, BIFSO, Briar, MobileActive, BNS, DIT, IT46, FreedomBox,
Meedan, Cyberspark, Pegasus, Greenhost.****

** **

We expect to see about 50 participants.****

** **

Please *RSVP by February 10th*, including whether you plan join the
Thursday dinner to workshop at informsec.net <conference at informsec.net>.****

** **

*Note that Counterpart will be covering the cost of the venue and meals
(Thursday dinner and Friday breakfast and lunch). The workshop will be held
at the Sheraton Crystal City in Arlington, VA, *just across the river from
Washington, DC and one stop from Reagan National Airport on the Metro’s
blue and yellow lines.**

** **

*If needed, for organizations and individuals located outside of the US
East coast or abroad, Counterpart may be able to cover the transportation
and lodging costs of one participant.** *During the workshop, the venue
will provide free wifi. If you wish to take advantage of the workshop’s
negotiated room rate at the Sheraton, please mention Counterpart
International when reserving.****

** **

We hope to see you on February 16 & 17!****

** **

Eric Johnson****

Ray Short****

Carolyn Anhalt****
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