Introduction

Cyberspace has become an integral part of the modern society, which impacts every facet of our life from the electrical grids that power millions of homes to the transportation and telecommunication networks that mobilize and connect people. Cyberspace is considered a heaven of opportunities to spur innovation, create competitiveness, and make impact on socio-economic development in the global village. However, with the multitude of benefits, it also harbors stringent challenges which could undermine the security and privacy of individuals, governments, and organizations alike. Our national security assets or critical infrastructures are more vulnerable, population is more prone to cybercriminals, and journalists and human rights defenders have come under attack for their online freedom of expression. To make matters more complicated, the issue of online disinformation and trolling is used by certain actors to further their agenda. It is pertinent to say that Cyberspace is becoming a safe haven for many illegal activities including cyber-terrorism, cyber-crimes, cyber-espionage, and so on.

Given the kind of unprecedented threats the world faces in cyberspace, it is imperative that researchers and policy makers should be prepared to grapple with the challenges of the digitally connected world at the social, political, economic, and technical levels for peace, stability, resilience, harmony, and non-violence.

Global Foundation for Cyber Studies and Research- an independent, nonprofit and non-partisan think tank- comprising of global cybersecurity experts, aims at producing research studies, policy papers, provide advisory, and work on various aspects of classical, contemporary, and modern cyber related matters under one umbrella. It is a collaborative step in the direction that aims to dissect and address the cyber policy and technology issues prevailing in the modern hyper-connected world.

The foundation aspires to bring together experts from diverse backgrounds with key interest on cyberspace issues to stir an intellectual debate on different facets with an intersection between cyber policy and technology. Through consultation, advisory, research articles, independent analysis, policy papers, opinion pieces, discussions, lectures, and events, we aim to address the global cyberspace challenges and policy issues that affect every native of the digital world.

Objectives

• To provide a platform to policy makers, experts, researchers and scientists to conduct innovative and fact-based analysis and research on cyber policy and technology issues
• Organize, support and sponsor events to achieve the mission of this initiative
• Foster interactive and fruitful cooperation between researchers, professionals, policy makers, civil societies, and opinion leaders
• Assist policy makers, business leaders and organizations to respond, mitigate, and recover cyber-attacks/incidents through timely sharing of information, collaboration and appropriate action
• Engage with public and private sector organizations for consultation, advisory, training, education and research in cyber related issues
• Empower women, in the pursuit of United Nations sustainable development goals, to participate and start career in cybersecurity field
• Collaborate with other institutions having common research and studies interests for mutual benefits and impact
• Publish cyber related updates/issues/incidents/reports for the benefit of cyber community
• Initiate and participate in cybersecurity awareness programs for the benefit of cyber stakeholders
• Mentor, supervise, and shape the professional development of future cyber leaders for empowerment and leadership