From Covid-19 Pandemic to Cyber Pandemic / Arabinda ACHARYA
From Covid-19 Pandemic to Cyber Pandemic : What do we have now and how do we cope ?
Arabinda ACHARYA, Rabdan Academy in Abu Dhabi
The pandemic Covid-19 has more wide-ranging and pervasive effects on the world, its inhabitants and its ecosystems than the terrorist attacks (9/11/2001). It has changed life patterns besides indefinite closures of most business. At the same time, the criminal enterprise and extremists and terrorist organizations are exploiting the emerging vulnerabilities in our overall security. From a cyber security perspective, all these have put new demands in terms of technology dependence and exposed us to new threats. Critical business assets and functions have become victims of more targeted cyberattacks by criminals and rogue states. More importantly, hospitals and healthcare services have been hit particularly hard by new types of cyber threats designed for connectivity disruptions and denial-of-service attacks. Extremist and terrorist groups are using the pandemic especially in respect of their propaganda and fundraising efforts. There are also questions involving human rights, particularly measures that virtually put countries in states of seize. Is Covid-19 really changing the world risking “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” ? How much freedom are we prepared to give up, for how long and onto whose hands ? How do we make sense of the rapidly changing threats to our security and are we prepared to respond ?
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Session 7 / Security Issues and Strategic Challenges in the Indo-Pacific
Chair : Mrs. Gwen ROBINSON (Chulalongkorn University/Nikkei)
Since its creation, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) has contributed to the maintenance of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region. As Asia is becoming the global center of economic gravity, any conflict in the Indo-Pacific region involving a major power would have a global impact. Does a shared Indo-Pacific geographical understanding can contribute to security partnerships and stability and how can regional powers manage the strategic tensions arising across this wide area ? This session deals with maritime security, but also cybersecurity, as well the sensitive management of water security issues in the Mekong by six countries. At least, the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar since 2015 and the recent Coup constitute a major challenge to take up. Could the Indo-pacific cooperation play a significant role to manage present and future crisis ?
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“Asia’s Post-Pandemic Order and Integration : Outlook of ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific at Crossroads” is an international conference organized by The Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia (IRASEC-CNRS) with the ASEAN Studies Center (Chulalongkorn University) in Bangkok, and the ASEAN-India Centre (AIC), RIS in New Delhi.
8-9 July 2021 - Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok
