RISCS Event: Cybersecurity: A Matter of Law or Justice?

We are pleased to announce a joint workshop hosted by Durham and Bristol universities, with sponsorship from RISCS, dedicated to exploring best practice in cybersecurity governance. This event will convene leading experts to address the evolving regulatory challenges and ethical considerations within the field.

Cybersecurity is rapidly emerging as a central concern for governments, businesses, and individuals worldwide. With digital technologies permeating nearly every aspect of modern life, safeguarding critical infrastructure and personal data has become a paramount public policy objective. The question, however, is whether cybersecurity should be framed primarily as a reactive, ad hoc set of legal obligations, codified in statutes and regulations, or whether it constitutes a broader issue of justice, demanding equitable access, ethical data handling, and mitigation against unintended consequences for citizens.

Through this workshop, we will bring together experts from academia, industry, policymakers, and the third sector to explore best practices for stakeholder collaboration in cybersecurity governance. Specifically, the discussion will examine how to optimise a co-regulatory approach to create an effective and proactive framework that integrates the strengths of legal enforcement with stakeholder engagement. By fostering continuous dialogue and internalising the inherent tensions in regulatory decision-making, this workshop aims to provide the framework in which cybersecurity regulations can evolve in response to both practical challenges and ethical considerations. The workshop will take place on 24th September, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.