Internet Technology and Military Power, Next G Alliance and 6G, Secret Service Agent on Cyber Security

October 19, 2020 – The experience of war today is fundamentally mediated by digital systems that facilitate almost every effort to gather, store, analyze, and communicate information in military organization, according to the author of a new book on Information Technology and Military Power.

“The nature of work in military organizations is what has changed,” said Jon Lindsay, the author and the assistant professor of digital media and global affairs at the University of Toronto, in a presentation at the CATO Institute on Monday.

In the book, Lindsay tracks a shift in the way nations wage from by conducting case studies from World War II to the present. Soldiers fighting physically on the battlefield is rarely actualized today. Instead, “people are doing more intellectual work” and technology has been integrated into battlefield operations for more precise and rapid operations.

Screenshot from CATO Institute panel

However, Lindsay’s book finds that these efforts are often marked by disappointing results and highlights how personnel struggle with their own information systems as much as with the enemy.

A theme of the book is encompassed by the U.S. military having technological advantages, yet consistently struggling in unconventional conflicts against weaker adversaries.

Lindsay closes the book discussing defense strategy. He finds that the United States should strategically assist its allies, particularly Taiwan and Japan, in defending themselves from Chinese military technology.

“We are on the defense,” said Eugene Gholz, associate professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame, also speaking at the event, but “there are advantages to being on the defense and not the offense.”

ATIS launches the Next G Alliance to streamline development of 6G mobile tech

The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions on Tuesday launched the Next G Alliance, an industry initiative aimed at advancing North American technology leadership in 6G over the next decade, on Tuesday.

Through their work, the Next G Alliance aims to account for each step in the lifecycle of developing 6G mobile tech, from research and development, to manufacturing, standardization and market readiness.

The Alliance announced three strategic actions, which will be the groups initial focus. First, the Next G Alliance aims to develop a national roadmap positions North America as the global leader in research and development, manufacturing and adoption.

Next, the Alliance aims to align North American industry on a core set of priorities to influence government policies and funding. Third, the Next G Alliance aims to identify early steps and strategies that will facilitate and lead to the rapid commercialization of Next G technologies, to promote widescale adoption, both domestically and globally.

“As countries around the globe progress ambitious 6G research and development initiatives, it is critical that North American industry steps forward to develop a collaborative roadmap to advance its position as a global leader over the next decade,” said ATIS President and CEO Susan Miller.

The Next G Alliance founding members include AT&T, Bell Canada, Ciena, Ericsson, Facebook, InterDigital, JMA Wireless, Microsoft, Nokia, Qualcomm Technologies Inc., Samsung, TELUS, Telnyx, T-Mobile, US Cellular and Verizon.

Cybersecurity conversation with Holli Draines, former Secret Service special agent to Michelle Obama

The 2020 By Black Conference, a three-day virtual conference representing 332,000 U.S. Black Chamber members and 207 Black-owned broadcast media outlets and networks, hosted sessions aimed at empowering black businesses and entrepreneurs last week.

As part of the event, AT&T sponsored a virtual conversation on cyber security insights with Holli Draines, former Secret Service special agent to First Lady Michelle Obama and CEO of Elite Strategy Global, a security consulting firm headquartered in Washington, D.C.

The COVID-19 crisis increasingly moving business operations to a virtual format created a condition keen for hackers. “Most businesses put a lot of effort into securing their physical safety,” said Draines, but “many small businesses put less resources into securing their virtual operations.”

According to Draines, small businesses are often more likely to be attacked, as going after bigger businesses is more of a feat for hackers.

Draines gave audiences key advice on actions to take if they encounter a data breach. “If you see something suspicious, capture it, but do not open it,” said Draines.

She further called for utilizing virtual private networks to protect from cyber threats.