Cyber policy
This page lists resources on cyber policy, fellowships, and think tanks.
Cyber policy resources
This list is an introduction to the field. While we couldn’t include many great resources here, we encourage you to do your own research on particular topics of interest.
Newsletters
- Weekly Cybersecurity, Politico
- Crypto-Gram, Bruce Schneier
- Zero Day, Kim Zetter
- The Hacker News
- Cybersecurity 202, Washington Post
- Axios Codebook
Books
- Confronting Cyber Risk: An Embedded Strategy for Cybersecurity (2021)
- The Hacker and the State: Cyber Attacks and the New Normal of Geopolitics (2020)
- This is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyber Weapons Arms Race (2020)
- The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats (2019)
- Cybersecurity Ethics: An Introduction (2017)
- The Cybersecurity Dilemma: Hacking, Trust and Fear Between Nations (2016)
- Countdown to Zero Day: Stuxnet and the Launch of the World’s First Digital Weapon (2014)
Podcasts
- Darknet Diaries
- Security Now
- Lawfare Cyberlaw
- 80,000 Hours Podcast episodes with Sella Nevo, Bruce Schneier, Nova DasSarma, and Christine Peterson
Online courses
- The Citizen Clinic Cybersecurity Education Center, CLTC Berkeley
- Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate, Coursera
- Cybersecurity Trainings, CISA
- Tech Diplomacy Academy, Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue (paid)
Think tank reports and policy analysis
- Congressional Research Service reports (search term “cyber”)
- Will AI Make Cyber Swords or Shields? (2022), Center for Sec. & Emerging Technology
- Policy magazines: Lawfare – Cybersecurity & Tech; War on the Rocks – Cyber; Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists – Cyber Security
- Unpacking Cyber Capacity-Building Needs Part I & Part II (2023), UNIDIR
- AI & International Conflict in Cyberspace (2023), Hague Program on International Cybersecurity
- Microsoft Digital Defense Report (2023)
Government strategies
- National Cybersecurity Strategy (2023), White House
- CISA Cybersecurity Strategic Plan FY 2024-2026 (2023), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
- Executive Order On Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity (2021), White House
- Achieve and Maintain Cyberspace Superiority (2018), Command Vision for US Cyber Command
- Global: Cyber Policy Portal, UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)
Conferences
- Billington CyberSecurity
- RSA Conference (counts for continuing education credits for ISC2, the biggest infosec professional network)
- DEF CON
- Black Hat
- BSidesNoVA
Cyber-relevant policy fellowships
The following fellowship programs are especially relevant for cyber policy work (see also our full fellowship database for 50+ opportunities):
- US Digital Corps – a 2-year fellowship offering an early-career technology opportunity for recent graduates to build their skills in cybersecurity, software engineering, data science and analytics, product management, and design.
- NobleReach Scholars (NobleReach Foundation) – a 1-2 year full-time technology policy fellowship in government or mission-driven private companies for early-career technologists focusing on AI, biotech, computing & cybersecurity, or other areas.
- Cybersecurity Talent Initiative (Partnership for Public Service) – “Receive an employment offer from a federal agency for two years.”
- CISA Cyber Innovation Fellows Initiative (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) – a four-month fellowship for technical experts from the private sector to work with CISA’s cybersecurity teams.
- DHS Intelligence and Cybersecurity Diversity Fellowship Program (Department of Homeland Security) – a 12-week program immersed in a federal work environment on the intelligence and cybersecurity track.
- CyberCorps Scholarship for Service – a scholarship for up to 3 years for cybersecurity undergraduate and graduate education with a required post-graduation government service.
- Cyber Policy Leadership Institute (POPVOX Foundation) – a networking and educational program for US college and graduate students cultivating diverse cyber policy leaders.
- #ShareTheMicInCyber Fellowship (New America) – a 12-month fellowship supporting mid-career cybersecurity professionals to conduct policy research.
- Science & Technology Policy Fellowship (Aspen Tech Policy Hub) – a full-time, paid, three-week program teaching science and technology professionals about policy, including cybersecurity.
- Catherine Hinman Memorial Fellowship (Silverado Policy Accelerator) – a summer program for US graduate students pursuing public policy careers, including cybersecurity.
- Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society Fellowship Program – a 12-month academic research fellowship at Harvard University.
- Social Media Lab Fellowship (Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University) – an academic research fellowship coordinated by Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center and Social Media Lab.
- Global Emerging Leaders in International Cyberspace Security (GEL-ICS) Fellowship (State Department, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy) – a 12-month cyber policy fellowship for non-American mid-level or emerging leaders.
- The Atlantic Council Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge – a 2-day interactive learning and competitive scenario program focused on cyber crisis policy tradeoffs.
General science and technology policy fellowships relevant to cyber policy:
- Horizon Fellowship (Horizon Institute for Public Service) – a 6-24 month full-time US emerging technology policy fellowship facilitating placements in government and think tanks.
- AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowships (American Association for the Advancement of Science) – a 12-month fellowship in DC across executive, judicial, legislative, or nonprofit tracks.
- TechCongress Congressional Innovation Fellowship (TechCongress) – a 10-12 month full-time fellowship with placements in Congress.
- STPI Science Policy Fellowship (Institute for Defense Analyses) – a 24-month full-time fellowship for recent graduates supporting S&T policy work.
- Emerging Scholars in Technology Policy (Princeton University, Center for Information Technology Policy) – a 2-year research position with coursework and mentoring.
- Technology and Geopolitics Fellowship (Belfer Center, Harvard Kennedy School) – a 10-month academic research fellowship for doctoral students, PhD holders, and mid-career professionals.
Think tanks working on cyber policy
This list isn’t comprehensive, but we hope it’s a useful starting point if you’re interested in think tank work on cyber policy.
- Council on Foreign Relations (CFR): Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program
- Atlantic Council: Cyber Statecraft Initiative, Cybersecurity
- Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS): Cybersecurity
- Brookings Institution: Cybersecurity
- Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET): CyberAI Project
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Cyber Policy Initiative
- RAND Corporation: Meselson Center, Cybersecurity, Cyber Warfare, Cyber & Data Sciences
- Center for a New American Security (CNAS): Technology and National Security program – Critical Digital Infrastructure
- Aspen Digital: Cybersecurity Workstream
- Heritage Foundation: Cybersecurity
- New America: Cybersecurity Initiative
- Stimson Center: Cyber Accountability
- UC Berkeley Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity
- Harvard University: Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs (Cyber Project)
- UNIDIR: Security and Technology
- Stanford University: Stanford Cyber Policy Center
- Leiden University: The Hague Program on International Cybersecurity
