Session
Organization's Website
Theater
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: This open forum will feature a 20-minute keynote, a 30-minute moderated panel discussion, and a 20-minute Q&A. Using a theater setup, panelists will discuss the cyberthreat landscape, especially in terms of destruction and disruption of specially protected civilian digital assets, describe the work at the IETF to standardize the technology, and ongoing initiatives and diplomatic processes. The 60-minute format ensures a focused agenda while accommodating attendees' schedules. A dedicated Q&A session will foster meaningful dialogue between panelists and the audience. This structure allows panelists to provide comprehensive insights, helping attendees understand cybersecurity challenges posed by digital infrastructure and propose actionable steps to protect civilians globally.
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: This open forum will feature a 20-minute keynote, a 30-minute moderated panel discussion, and a 20-minute Q&A. Using a theater setup, panelists will discuss the cyberthreat landscape, especially in terms of destruction and disruption of specially protected civilian digital assets, describe the work at the IETF to standardize the technology, and ongoing initiatives and diplomatic processes. The 60-minute format ensures a focused agenda while accommodating attendees' schedules. A dedicated Q&A session will foster meaningful dialogue between panelists and the audience. This structure allows panelists to provide comprehensive insights, helping attendees understand cybersecurity challenges posed by digital infrastructure and propose actionable steps to protect civilians globally.
Description
Background: Since its inception at IGF Kyoto, the Digital Emblem initiative is enhancing global peace and stability by creating a universally recognized symbol that signifies protected digital infrastructure during times of armed conflict. This initiative is inspired by the Geneva Conventions' Red Cross emblem, which marks specifically protected people, objects, and places. An emblem is a device, symbol, or figure adopted and used as an identifying mark to represent a particular person, group, or idea. In culture, emblems such as a flag, badge or coat of arms communicate group identity. Such emblems are often comprised of a set of attributes, each with symbolic meaning. To date, this initiative has: 1.) Achieved International legal consensus in that all 196 states that have signed the Geneva Conventions adopted a resolution supporting the work on the digital emblem and a legal study on its use. 2.) Established an engineering protocol working group within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) to create standardized governance protocols for the Digital Emblem. This group is tasked with developing the technical standards necessary for its implementation. 3.) Secured adoption by Cyber Tech Accord signatories, on International Human Rights Day, over 160 Cyber Tech Accord signatories pledged to support the digital emblem. This broad commitment from the tech industry signifies a collective effort to integrate and uphold the principles of the digital emblem.
Under International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the Red Cross, Red Crescent, and Red Crystal emblems are symbols of protection – used to identify persons and objects that benefit from certain specific protections under that body of law. Today often these emblems/symbols require a sense of sight, or touch to become known to the receiver. There is a need to sense emblems/symbols through digital communication channels. Digital emblems extend the range of identifying marks from the physical (visual and tactile) to the digital realm. The presence of a digital emblem represents a new signal available to cyber operators.
Objective: The primary goal of this session is to demonstrate tangible progress within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) that is developing a digital emblem based on international humanitarian law and security standards. This digital emblem project includes engineering comprehensive architecture and model that defines a standard digital emblem to be used globally. This group will then address specific initial use cases such as in the technology sector and government.
What participants will gain from attending the session: Participants will gain a clear understanding of the progress made toward the creation and standardization of a Digital Emblem, why it matters. and how this will be deployed once the standards will be available. Experts will share insights into the ongoing work at the IETF, the challenges and opportunities for legal recognition, and how different stakeholders, from governments to the private sector, can contribute to its operationalization. Attendees will also learn about real-world implications of the Digital Emblem and how it can enhance cyber protections for humanitarian organizations, medical facilities, and other specially protected entities in future conflicts.
Policy Questions:
- Why is the standardization of a digital emblem necessary for protecting critical civilian digital infrastructure during armed conflict, and how does it build on existing legal protections under international humanitarian law?
- How has the development of the Digital Emblem progressed within the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and what key milestones have been achieved so far?
- How can the international community, including governments, industry, and civil society, contribute to the successful deployment and enforcement of the Digital Emblem once standards are finalized?
- Why is there a need to create a digital emblem to protect digital infrastructure and services during times of armed conflict?
- What are the technical, legal, and diplomatic challenges of standardizing a digital emblem, and what strategies can stakeholders take to ensure its adoption and implementation?
- From technological standards to legally binding obligations. How to make a digital emblem a reality?
This open forum will feature a 20-minute keynote, a 30-minute moderated panel discussion, and a 20-minute Q&A. Using a theater setup, panelists will discuss the cyberthreat landscape, especially in terms of destruction and disruption of specially protected civilian digital assets, describe the work at the IETF to standardize the technology, and ongoing initiatives and diplomatic processes. The 60-minute format ensures a focused agenda while accommodating attendees' schedules. A dedicated Q&A session will foster meaningful dialogue between panelists and the audience. This structure allows panelists to provide comprehensive insights, helping attendees understand cybersecurity challenges posed by digital infrastructure and propose actionable steps to protect civilians globally.
This open forum will feature a 20-minute keynote, a 30-minute moderated panel discussion, and a 20-minute Q&A. Using a theater setup, panelists will discuss the cyberthreat landscape, especially in terms of destruction and disruption of specially protected civilian digital assets, describe the work at the IETF to standardize the technology, and ongoing initiatives and diplomatic processes. The 60-minute format ensures a focused agenda while accommodating attendees' schedules. A dedicated Q&A session will foster meaningful dialogue between panelists and the audience. This structure allows panelists to provide comprehensive insights, helping attendees understand cybersecurity challenges posed by digital infrastructure and propose actionable steps to protect civilians globally.
Organizers
ICRC
Chelsea Smethurst, Microsoft
Chelsea Smethurst, Microsoft
Speakers
• International Committee of the Red Cross, Dr. Cordula Droege, Head of Legal
• Microsoft, Amy Hogan-Burney, Corporate Vice President, Customer Security and Trust
• Global Cyber Forum, [Speaker to-be-determined]
Onsite Moderator
• Chelsea J. Smethurst, Director Digital Diplomacy, Microsoft, private sector, United States
Online Moderator
Mauro Vignati, Advisor Digital Technologies of Warfare, ICRC
Rapporteur
• Chelsea J. Smethurst, Director Digital Diplomacy, Microsoft, private sector, United States
SDGs
1. No Poverty
2. Zero Hunger
3. Good Health and Well-Being
4. Quality Education
5. Gender Equality
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
10. Reduced Inequalities
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
12. Responsible Production and Consumption
13. Climate Action
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Targets: The SDGs share many of ICRC interests. They show States committing to clear and measurable progress in areas which are fundamental to the ICRC's mission to prevent, assist and protect, and to the requirements of IHL. Every day around the world, ICRC works tirelessly in the same direction as the SDGs. In particular for the proposal: We, ICRC, are deeply engaged in reducing violence, protecting people from violence and ensuring norms to prevent and regulate violence, especially IHL and IHRL. This is essential for people we work for who are affected by armed conflict, violence, displacement, migration and detention. - SDG 16 - We, ICRC, do all of this in partnerships of a wide range of stakeholders including local authorities, armed forces and police, communities, civil society, business and the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. We also work across the lines of conflict and with authorities beyond State structures to ensure people's protection and assistance - SDG 17 Generally speaking, ICRC works tirelessly in the same direction as the other SDGs: - We reduce poverty and hunger by providing assistance to those caught up in armed conflict or other situations of violence - SDG 1 and 2 - We increase people's safe access to health care, education, water and sanitation, employment and resilient infrastructure and services - SDGs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 - We are concerned about inequality, especially inequality created by conflict and violence - SDG 5 and 10 - We work with people to manage the shocks of climate risk in many parts of the world where conflict and climate create a dangerous double vulnerability for millions - SDG 13 - We also strive to improve our own ecological footprint in and between the 100 countries in which we work around the world - SDG 12.
2. Zero Hunger
3. Good Health and Well-Being
4. Quality Education
5. Gender Equality
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
10. Reduced Inequalities
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
12. Responsible Production and Consumption
13. Climate Action
16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
17. Partnerships for the Goals
Targets: The SDGs share many of ICRC interests. They show States committing to clear and measurable progress in areas which are fundamental to the ICRC's mission to prevent, assist and protect, and to the requirements of IHL. Every day around the world, ICRC works tirelessly in the same direction as the SDGs. In particular for the proposal: We, ICRC, are deeply engaged in reducing violence, protecting people from violence and ensuring norms to prevent and regulate violence, especially IHL and IHRL. This is essential for people we work for who are affected by armed conflict, violence, displacement, migration and detention. - SDG 16 - We, ICRC, do all of this in partnerships of a wide range of stakeholders including local authorities, armed forces and police, communities, civil society, business and the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. We also work across the lines of conflict and with authorities beyond State structures to ensure people's protection and assistance - SDG 17 Generally speaking, ICRC works tirelessly in the same direction as the other SDGs: - We reduce poverty and hunger by providing assistance to those caught up in armed conflict or other situations of violence - SDG 1 and 2 - We increase people's safe access to health care, education, water and sanitation, employment and resilient infrastructure and services - SDGs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 - We are concerned about inequality, especially inequality created by conflict and violence - SDG 5 and 10 - We work with people to manage the shocks of climate risk in many parts of the world where conflict and climate create a dangerous double vulnerability for millions - SDG 13 - We also strive to improve our own ecological footprint in and between the 100 countries in which we work around the world - SDG 12.