December 10, 2021
Colloquium Topic: Defeating Coercive Information Operations in Future Crises
The US government and its social media partners are bolstering their defenses against foreign election interference and campaigns to corrode democratic governance. Those efforts are vital but inadequate for the emerging security environment. The United States should also account for the risk that in intense regional crises, adversaries will use information operations (IOs) to coerce US and allied behavior. In particular, opponents will seek to convince US and allied policymakers that unless they back down, their nations will suffer punishment that dwarfs any gains they hope to achieve. If adversaries cannot prevail through IOs alone, they may fulfill their threats and launch increasingly destructive cyberattacks, paired with warnings that further punishment will follow until the US and its allies capitulate.
This presentation examines the vulnerabilities of the US public and policymaking process to coercive IOs, and analyzes Chinese and Russian technologies to exploit these vulnerabilities with unprecedented effectiveness. We will also discuss options to defeat future coercive campaigns, in ways that uphold the Constitution and leverage progress already underway against electoral interference and the corrosion of democratic governance.
Colloquium Speaker: Paul N. Stockton
Dr. Paul N. Stockton leads Paul N Stockton LLC, a strategic advisory firm in Santa Fe, NM. As Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas’ Security Affairs from 2009-2013, Dr. Stockton led the development of DOD’s Strategy for Mission Assurance, guided Defense support to civil authorities in Superstorm Sandy and other disasters, and deepened US security partnerships with Canada, Mexico, and other Western Hemisphere nations.
Dr. Stockton currently helps industry and government leaders strengthen US resilence against cyberattacks and information operations. His recent publications include Resilience for Grid Security Emergencies: Opportunities for Industry-Government Collaboration (June 2019), Securing the Grid from Supply-Chain Based Attacks (September 2020), Strengthening the Cyber Resilience of America’s Water Systems: Industry-Led Regulatory Options (August 2021), and Defeating Coercive Information Operations in Future Crises (August 2021).
Dr. Stockton holds a PhD from Harvard University and a BA from Dartmouth College. He was twice awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, DOD's highest civilian award. Dr. Stockton chairs the Grid Resilience for National Security subcommittee of DOE’s Electricity Advisory Council. He is a fellow of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, serves on the Board of Directors of ANSER, Inc, and is a member of advisory committees for the Idaho National Laboratory and other organizations.