In 2007 Estonia’s advanced digital infrastructure was hit by waves of denial of service cyber-attacks during a period of heightened tension with Russia. The most connected society in the EU was put under immense pressure and both the Estonian government and NATO were forced to consider how to respond to state-sponsored cyber-attacks on a member state. The Estonia incident, the first of its kind, set off a still-ongoing debate in NATO on the role of cyber operations, and raised questions about international law and the changing nature of conflict in the Internet age.
To mark the 10 year anniversary of these attacks, speakers will discuss how Estonia’s resiliency and capacity to respond to cyber threats has evolved over the last decade. The discussions will address how national governments can develop better strategies to deter attackers, protect their digital infrastructure, and contribute to stability in cyberspace.
1:00pm — Video Introduction & Opening Remarks
Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia, 2007 – 2016
Lauri Lepik, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the United States
1:30pm — Panel I - Cyber Attacks Reveal Lessons: What Happened and What We Learned
Lauri Almann, Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defence at the time of the attacks
Merike Kaeo, Chief Technical Officer, Farsight Security
2:30pm — Panel II - Connectivity vs. Security: Setting the Rules
Marina Kaljurand, former Foreign Minister and the Chair of the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace
Merle Maigre, Director, NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) based in Tallinn
Juhan Lepassaar, Head of Cabinet for Vice-President of the European Commission Andrus Ansip, responsible for the Digital Single Market
Tanel Sepp, Deputy Director for Cyber Planning, Estonia's Ministry of Defence
