Berlin Security Beat David Backovsky, Centre for International Security at the Hertie School

Do you want to learn more about how cyber policy institutions were built across the last two decades?

In our newest episode David Backovsky of the Berlin Security Beat interviews Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Director of the Digital Society Institute at the ESMT in Berlin, on what it was like to build up cyber policy & diplomacy institutions across the Ministry of Defense of Estonia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, NATO and the European External Action Service.

In the second episode of our two-parter on cyber threats we focus on cybercrime. David Backovsky talks to Rutger Leukfeldt, Professor of Governing Cybercrime at Leiden University and Senior Researcher at the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement. We discuss everything from hackers to criminal nexuses to hacktivists, ransomware and social engineering. How cyber criminals can differ wildly, ranging from organized groups with corporate structures who provide cybercrime as a service to opportunistic cyber “street gangs”. Tune in to find out more.

In the first half of our two-parter on cyber threats we'll be discussing cyber threat intelligence (CTI) and state actors with one of Berlin's leading threat intelligence experts, Jiro Minier. We cover the basics of CTI and then explore the geopolitical side with China as a case study of how state threat actor nexuses operate.

Jiro Minier is Lead, Threat Intelligence Research and Analysis at the DCSO in Berlin. He is a former fellow of the Centre for International Security and the European Cyber Conflict Research Initiative (ECCRI).

In the opening episode of the 3rd season, we interview two Hertie School alumni, Kritika Roy and Finn Hagemann on their transition to the industry, what their work in cybersecurity entails and what advice they'd have for newcomers on entering the industry. Tune in to find out more!

In our third season, we're diving into the depths of cyber security, where we'll discuss its key concepts and the importance of digital defense with experts from various fields. Our guests will include those who design secure systems, strategists safeguarding businesses, researchers unraveling online threats, and influencers shaping internet safety regulations. Join us for a comprehensive look at cyber attacks and defenses, threat analysis, cybercrime, digital policies, and more on the Berlin Security Beat podcast.

In this episode we delve into the work of NATO with the Branch Head for Strategic Issues Engagements at NATO Allied Command Transformation. We cover a wide range of issues, from Vlasta's experiences as one of the few female recruits at Citadel, to her insights on the organizaitonal dynamics of NATO and the core skills and tools that young professionals need to succeed in NATO's operational environment.