Quentin E. Hodgson

@QHodgson on Twitter

Senior International/Defense Researcher; Affiliate Faculty, Pardee RAND Graduate School

Off Site Office

Education

M.Sc. in national resource management, Industrial College of the Armed Forces; M.A. in international relations, The Johns Hopkins University - School of Advanced International Studies; B.A. in history and Russian language, The Johns Hopkins University

One Page Bio

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Quentin Hodgson is a senior international and defense researcher at the RAND Corporation focusing on cybersecurity, cyber operations, critical infrastructure protection, risk management, and command & control. He is also a member of the faculty at Pardee RAND Graduate School. He has led projects for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force and NATO's Allied Command Transformation. He came to RAND in 2017 from the MITRE Corporation, where he led projects supporting the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department on strategic planning, cybersecurity, and capacity building. Prior to that, he spent 13 years at the Department of Defense in a variety of strategy and policy positions, including serving as the director for Cyber Plans, Operations and Programs from 2011 to 2014. He was the principal author of secretary of Defense Robert Gates's National Defense Strategy and led efforts to reform the Department's approach to force planning and analysis after the 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review. He holds an M.A. in international relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and an M.Sc. in national resource management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and was a Fulbright scholar affiliated with the University of Potsdam, Germany.

Research Focus

Honors & Awards

Gold Medal Award, RAND
Silver Medal Award, RAND

Languages

German; Russian

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: 1310 News; CNBC; Macdonald Laurier Institute; VoiceAmerica

Commentary

Cybercrime

How the United States Can Deter Ransomware Attacks
To rein in ransomware attacks, the United States needs to upend the risk-reward ratio for hackers and for the countries that harbor or support them. Such a strategy would make networks harder to breach, hit back harder against hackers, and claw back gains from those who succeed.
Aug 9, 2021
Los Angeles Times
Democracy

Ensuring the Safety and Integrity of the Vote
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the U.S. election into disarray coming on top of disruptions to traditional campaigning and the increased burden on election officials. Still, with careful planning, the election can be held with integrity, while keeping the American electorate safe. But it will require everyone to help.
Oct 23, 2020
The Baltimore Sun
Critical Infrastructure Protection

Keep Voters Healthy. Keep Elections Secure. Can the U.S. Do Both?
U.S. adversaries have stepped up cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns. The United States should expect these foes to take advantage of the logistical challenges of voting in a COVID-19 world to redouble their efforts against elections.
Jun 22, 2020
The Baltimore Sun
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

During Coronavirus Pandemic, Can Congress Members Do Their Jobs by Teleworking?
The COVID-19 pandemic presents a new challenge to how Congress conducts business. How can the United States leverage existing technologies so lawmakers can continue to work safely and securely?
Apr 6, 2020
Fox News Channel
Cybersecurity

Helping Small Businesses Deal with Cyber Threats
Small businesses are especially vulnerable to cyber threats. What can be done to provide small businesses the security to continue to prosper, while enhancing America's cybersecurity workforce and making the economy more secure?
Sep 15, 2017
Inside Sources

Publications

Report
Educating for Evolving Operational Domains: Cyber and Information Education in the Department of Defense and the Role of the College of Information and Cyberspace
This report examines how Department of Defense educational institutions are addressing cyberspace and information education, the potential demand for this education, and how the College of Information and Cyberspace can contribute.
Nov 17, 2022
Report
Securing U.S. Elections: A Method for Prioritizing Cybersecurity Risk in Election Infrastructure
Researchers from the Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center have developed a methodology for understanding and prioritizing cybersecurity risk in election infrastructure to assist state and local election officials.
Aug 16, 2022
Report
Planning for Significant Cyber Incidents: An Introduction for Decisionmakers
This report describes contingency planning for a significant cyber incident, focusing on the importance of planning, the process of developing a plan, and options for operationalizing it. It summarizes a companion how-to guide by the same authors.
Jun 27, 2022
Report
Managing Response to Significant Cyber Incidents: Comparing Event Life Cycles and Incident Response Across Cyber and Non-Cyber Events
This report examines U.S. structures and processes for non-cyber emergency management and whether U.S. officials can learn from these other incidents to help public and private sector stakeholders improve preparations for response to cyber incidents.
May 12, 2022
Report
Many Hands in the Cookie Jar: Case Studies in Response Options to Cyber Incidents Affecting U.S. Government Networks and Implications for Future Response
This report describes major cyber incidents against U.S. government systems and addresses whether responses have changed, whether they changed adversary behavior, and what the United States can learn from these cases to inform future policymaking.
Apr 29, 2022
Report
Wing-Level Mission Assurance for a Cyber-Contested Environment
The authors offer ways to help wings assure their missions despite cyber attacks, focusing on how wings can maintain situational awareness, defend their systems, and respond to and recover from attacks to survive and operate when under cyber attack.
Dec 9, 2021
Report
RAND's Scalable Warning and Resilience Model (SWARM): Enhancing Defenders' Predictive Power in Cyberspace
The model introduced in this report is intended to enhance the predictive capabilities available to cyber defenders while also augmenting resilience by improving preventions and detections of cyber threats.
May 11, 2021
Report
Proposed Analytical Products for the Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability: Developing and Presenting Options for Future Force Design and Capability Development
RAND Project Air Force assisted the Air Force Warfighting Integration Capability (AFWIC) in conceptualizing analytical and other products to support concept development, options for future force design, and capability development planning.
Dec 16, 2020
Research Brief
Multiple Dilemmas for the Joint Force: Joint All-Domain Command and Control
The authors examine potential command and control impediments to multidomain operations and propose alternative models for joint all-domain command and control.
Dec 3, 2020
Report
Multiple Dilemmas: Challenges and Options for All-Domain Command and Control
The authors examine potential command-and-control impediments to multidomain operations and propose alternative models for joint all-domain command and control.
Dec 3, 2020
Report
Do Americans Expect Safe and Secure Elections?
An August 2020 survey of Americans' attitudes about voting in November 2020 revealed small changes in responses compared with May 2020 responses to an identical survey on physical safety, and election integrity.
Oct 29, 2020
Report
How Is the Pandemic Influencing Intention to Vote?
An August 2020 survey of Americans' attitudes about voting in November 2020 revealed small changes in responses compared with May 2020 responses to an identical survey on intention to vote and intended voting method.
Oct 29, 2020
Report
Voter Attitudes Toward the 2020 Election: August 2020 Update
This appendix provides additional methodological and research material for two reports that summarize results of an August 2020 survey of Americans' attitudes about voting in November 2020. The August survey is a follow-up to one conducted in May.
Oct 29, 2020
Report
Securing U.S. Elections Against Cyber Threats: Considerations for Supply Chain Risk Management
The supply chain for components of U.S. election systems and equipment is at the core of election security. The authors of this Perspective describe the supply chain–related risks to election cybersecurity and integrity and how they can be managed.
Sep 22, 2020
Report
Attitudes on Voting in 2020: Preparing for Elections During a Pandemic
In survey responses about expectations for the November 2020 election, most voters say they think that voting will be safe and votes will be counted despite the pandemic. But concerns about safety and integrity could act as deterrents for some.
Aug 27, 2020
Report
An Assessment of State Voting Processes: Preparing for Elections During a Pandemic
State election laws on early voting, remote voting, and voter registration could have implications for the execution of the November 2020 general election under conditions brought on by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
Aug 5, 2020
Report
Options for Ensuring Safe Elections: Preparing for Elections During a Pandemic
Voting and registration options can help ensure safe elections despite the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Each option has advantages; challenges; and different levels of risk regarding safety, integrity, access, and logistics.
Aug 5, 2020
Report
Fighting Shadows in the Dark: Understanding and Countering Coercion in Cyberspace
The authors of this report examine cases from Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea to understand whether and how states use cyber operations to coerce other states or actors, and highlight the challenges of identifying cyber coercion.
Sep 17, 2019
Report
Operationalizing Cyberspace as a Military Domain: Lessons for NATO
The authors of this Perspective discuss current efforts by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to integrate cyberspace as an operational domain, including a focus on indications and warning and adapting a framework for the NATO context.
Jun 20, 2019
Journal Article
Applying Indications and Warning Frameworks to Cyber Incidents
This research proposes a high-level yet practical strategic cyber indications and warning approach that governments, NATO agencies, and the private sector can apply to defend against cyber threats.
2019