Dr. Kristen Csenkey

Power and Tension: The Cyber Security Problems of Military Electrification

by Csenkey, Kristen and Alexis Rapin

Published by War on the Rocks

June 4, 2024

URL: https://warontherocks.com/2024/06/power-and-tension-the-cyber-security-problems-of-military-electrification/

Entre puissance et tension : l’électrification des armées face aux défis de la cybersécurité’

by Csenkey, Kristen and Alexis Rapin

Published by Le Rubicon

May 2, 2024

URL: https://lerubicon.org/entre-puissance-et-tension-lelectrification-des-armees-face-aux-defis-de-la-cybersecurite

Canada’s national quantum strategy one year on

by Csenkey, Kristen and Aniska Graver

Published by Canadian Foreign Policy Journal

September 26, 2024

This policy commentary critically reviews Canada's National Quantum Strategy (NQS) to evaluate whether it integrates a values approach to mitigate any potential regional, national, and global disparities as part of a responsible quantum approach. Our analysis reveals that Canada's quantum strategy focuses on fostering the identification, development, and commercialization of technologies for economic gain at national, regional, and international levels. Both provincial and federal governments actively collaborate with research institutions and businesses within four distinct research and innovation hubs to establish “quantum zones” as emerging paradiplomatic actors. Internationally, Canada is positioning itself as a leader in quantum technology through grants, research and development partnerships, and country-specific Trade Missions with like-minded states. This commentary highlights the need to embed values, such as sustainability and equitability, into the development and application of quantum technologies and future iterations of the NQS to address societal impacts.

Ce commentaire politique examine d'un œil critique la stratégie quantique nationale (SQN) afin de déterminer si elle intègre une approche des valeurs visant à mitiger d'éventuelles disparités régionales, nationales et mondiales dans le cadre d'une approche quantique responsable. Notre analyse révèle que la stratégie quantique du Canada vise à favoriser l'identification, le développement et la commercialisation des technologies en vue d'un gain économique aux niveaux national, régional et international. Les gouvernements fédéral et provinciaux collaborent activement avec les instituts de recherche et les entreprises au sein de quatre pôles de recherche et d'innovation distincts afin d'établir des « zones quantiques » en tant qu'acteurs para–diplomatiques émergents. Sur le plan international, le Canada se positionne comme un leader de la technologie quantique grâce à des subventions, des partenariats de recherche et de développement, et des missions commerciales avec des pays partageant les mêmes idées. Ce commentaire souligne la nécessité d'ancrer des valeurs, telles que la durabilité et l'équité, dans le développement et l'application des technologies quantiques et les futures itérations de la SQN afin de prendre en compte les impacts sociétaux.

URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/11926422.2024.2397970

Post-quantum cryptographic assemblages and the governance of the quantum threat

by Kristen Csenkey and Nina Bindel

Published by Journal of Cybersecurity

February 3, 2023

Threats against security in the Internet often have a wide range and can have serious impacts within society. Large quantum computers will be able to break the cryptographic algorithms used to ensure security today, which is known as the quantum threat. Quantum threats are multi-faceted and very complex cybersecurity issues. We use assemblage theory to explore the complexities associated with these threats, including how they are understood within policy and strategy. It is in this way that we explore how the governance of the quantum threat is made visible. Generally, the private and academic sectors have been a primary driver in this field, but other actors (especially states) have begun to grapple with the threat and have begun to understand the relation to defence challenges, and pathways to cooperation in order to prepare against the threat. This may pose challenges for traditional avenues of defence cooperation as states attempt to understand and manage the associated technologies and perceived threats. We examine how traditionally cooperating allies attempt to govern the quantum threat by focusing on Australia, Canada, European Union, New Zealand, UK, and USA. We explore the linkages within post-quantum cryptographic assemblages and identify several governmental interventions as attempts to understand and manage the threat and associated technologies. In examining over 40 policy and strategy-related documents between traditionally defence cooperating allies, we identify six main linkages: Infrastructure, Standardization, Education, Partnerships, Economy, and Defence. These linkages highlight the governmental interventions to govern through standardization and regulation as a way to define the contours of the quantum threat.

URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/cybsec/tyad001