Cybersecurity Issues

This page offers an easy way for policymakers to access cybersecurity research and analysis that is relevant to current Congressional agendas. For additional information, to request documents, or to arrange a briefing, contact the RAND Office of Congressional Relations at ocr@rand.org or (703) 413-1100 x5643.

Recent Findings

Multimedia
U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper Visits RAND
Sep 16, 2020

U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper visited RAND's Santa Monica headquarters on September 16, 2020. Secretary Esper emphasized the importance of deterring China and the role of the U.S. defense industrial base.
Blog
L.A.'s High Unemployment, RAND's New Research Center, Twitter: RAND Weekly Recap
Aug 14, 2020

This weekly recap focuses on unemployment in the Los Angeles area, the new RAND Center to Advance Racial Equity Policy, food consumption in the UK, and more.
Report
Autonomous Road Vehicles and Law Enforcement
Jul 16, 2020

Autonomous vehicles promise many benefits, but questions remain about how law enforcement officers will interact with them. What will be the biggest challenges—and how can law enforcement prepare to address them?
Blog
The Postal Service, Election Security, Reducing Child Deaths: RAND Weekly Recap
Jun 26, 2020

This weekly recap focuses on the role of the U.S. Postal Service, preparing for the presidential election, reducing child deaths in Nigeria, and more.
Report
Strategies for Countering Online Abuse
Jun 18, 2020

Digital platforms that let users interact virtually and often anonymously have given rise to harassment and other criminal behaviors. Tech-facilitated abuse—such as nonconsensual pornography, doxing, and swatting—compromises privacy and safety. How can law enforcement respond?

More Research on Cybersecurity

Briefings

Approaches to Counter Russian Social Media Influence
Mar 15, 2019

How can policymakers combat the threat of Russian social media influence? Elizabeth Bodine-Baron will discuss different approaches and policy options to respond to Russian influence via disinformation spread on social media in the United States. [Washington, D.C.]
Protecting Consumer Data: Considerations for Congress
Jun 8, 2018

Many of the laws that govern data privacy were developed before the widespread adoption of online communications and social media accounts. Should consumers be in charge of self-regulating what they share and how companies use it? Rebecca Balebako and John Davis will discuss policy opportunities for better protecting consumer data. [Washington, D.C.]
Equifax and the Data-Breach Era: How Worried Should We Be?
Oct 26, 2017

Large-scale data breaches have compromised the identifying information of millions of people. What can policymakers do to improve responses to such breaches, and how can the public protect information that has already been compromised? Lilian Ablon and Sina Beaghley answer these questions and more in a RAND Congressional Briefing.
RAND Cybersecurity Workshop
Aug 17, 2016

In this cybersecurity workshop, legislative staffers can learn how to calculate cyber risk; where to find appropriate information about threats, vulnerabilities, and impact; and better consider options for legislation and federal government response in cyberspace. [Washington, DC]
What Is America's Role in the World?
Nov 11, 2015

One Night with RAND brought together leaders in business, philanthropy, government, academia, and media for a discussion about the international strategic choices that will shape the U.S. role in the world for years to come.

Alerts & Newsletters

RAND periodically sends alerts and newsletters to update Congress on highlights of recent work about cybersecurity.

In Case You Missed It: Approaches to Counter Russian Social Media Influence
Apr 1, 2019

In this Congressional briefing, Elizabeth Bodine-Baron discusses different approaches and policy options to respond to the specific threat of Russian influence via disinformation spread on social media in the United States.
Catch Up Quick: Homeland Security Issues for Congress
Aug 14, 2018

Catch up on the homeland security issues facing Congress, including cybersecurity, the Coast Guard and United States border, and countering violent extremism.
Protecting Consumer Data: Considerations for Congress
Jun 28, 2018

What policy opportunities could Congress consider to better protect consumer data? Rebecca Balebako and John Davis discuss the benefits and risks of data sharing at both the personal and industry level.
The Promises and Perils of Speed
May 4, 2018

Across the world, there is a profound sense that life is speeding up, and the faster life gets, the more we have to adjust our norms to keep pace. This ramped-up pace and how we react to it have the potential to fundamentally rework how we interact, think, and create.
In Case You Missed It: Data Thieves
Mar 22, 2018

In 2017, there were more than one thousand data breaches exposing over a billion records of sensitive data. What's happening to stolen data and how is it being monetized? Lillian Ablon addresses these concerns.
In Case You Missed It: Equifax and the Data-Breach Era
Nov 13, 2017

There has been a recent string of large-scale data breaches that have compromised the private information of millions of customers. Lillian Ablon and Sina Beaghley briefed Congressional staff on how the government and breached companies can better protect victims.
In Case You Missed It: Understanding Russian Hybrid Warfare
Mar 31, 2017

Russia's use of covert actions to achieve its national security objectives without escalating to the level of traditional war is known as hybrid warfare. Addressing this threat will take time and effort, but there are strategies the U.S. can use to combat these hybrid operations.
2016 Hill Highlights
Dec 15, 2016

In 2016, RAND experts conducted briefings on Capitol Hill, provided testimonies before congressional committees, hosted workshops, and published reports on some of the nation's most pressing issues, including health care for veterans, autonomous vehicles, NATO military posture, and cyber policy.
The Online Fight Against ISIS
May 10, 2016

The battle against ISIS is taking place both on the ground and in cyberspace: To prevail, the United States and its allies will have to be capable of reacting quickly, while following an overarching strategy.
Ransomware Hackers Are Coming for Your Health Records
Apr 27, 2016

Cybercriminals may be preying on hospitals because cyber protection measures likely have not kept pace with electronic data collection and because hospitals typically do not have backup systems and databases in place. These kind of attacks can strain health care systems and potentially put patients' lives at risk.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month: The Latest RAND Research
Oct 16, 2015

RAND's research on cybersecurity covers national security, cyberdeterrence, cybercrime centers, information sharing, cyber insurance, and cloud computing. Experts are available to discuss their work, as well as related policy proposals.

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Testimony

Data Thieves: The Motivations of Cyber Threat Actors and Their Use and Monetization of Stolen Data

Lillian Ablon
Testimony presented before the House Financial Services Committee, Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, on March 15, 2018.
It Takes More than Offensive Capability to Have an Effective Cyberdeterrence Posture

Martin C. Libicki
Testimony presented before the House Armed Services Committee on March 1, 2017.
Emerging Cyber Threats and Implications

Isaac R. Porche III
Testimony presented before the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies on February 25, 2016.
Perspective on 2015 DoD Cyber Strategy

Lara Schmidt
Testimony presented before the House Armed Services Committee on September 29, 2015.
Strategies for Defending U.S. Government Networks in Cyberspace

Daniel M. Gerstein
Testimony presented before the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies on June 24, 2015.
Sharing Information About Threats Is Not a Cybersecurity Panacea

Martin C. Libicki
Testimony presented before the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies on March 4, 2015.

More Testimony

Briefs

Assessing the Use of Data Analytics in Department of Defense Acquisition 2019

This research brief addresses congressional concerns about the use of data analysis, measurement, and other evaluation-related methods in U.S. Department of Defense acquisition programs and decisionmaking.
What Will Russian Military Capabilities Look Like in the Future? 2019

RAND researchers analyzed the development of Russia's military capabilities over the next 20 years — with a focus on ground combat — and the implications of that development for U.S.-Russian competition and for the U.S. Army.
Requirements for Better C2 and Situational Awareness of the Information Environment 2018

Every military activity has informational aspects, but the information environment (IE) is not well integrated into military planning, doctrine, or processes. Better understanding of the IE will improve command and control and situational awareness.

More Research on Cybersecurity