GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany, May 1, 2025 — Participants of the Marshall Center’s Program on Cyber Security Studies spent the day examining the legal and geopolitical dimensions of cyber conflict with two leading voices in the field.

They heard from Richard Magnan, Marshall Center professor of Law and Cyber Security, and Piret Pernik, a researcher with NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence.

Both speakers challenged the more than 70 cybersecurity professionals attending PCSS to reexamine traditional definitions of sovereignty, warfare, and power in an increasingly digital and contested world.

Magnan explored the legal ambiguity surrounding cyber operations and their classification under international law. He examined real-world cases that blur the lines between cyber activity and conventional military operations, particularly when physical consequences result from digital actions.

“We are forming the international law of the future by our response—or non-response—to those who use cyber against us,” Magnan said. “Persistent access is the new battleground.”

Magnan noted that existing legal frameworks, such as NATO’s Article 5 and the UN Charter, offer limited clarity on responding to cyber incidents. Using case studies like the Viasat satellite disruption at the onset of the war in Ukraine, he illustrated how cyber operations can serve as a prelude to, or substitute for, conventional force.

Later, Pernik examined how cyberspace has become a platform for geopolitical competition. Her lecture positioned cyber security within the broader global race for technological and strategic advantage.

“Cyber operations today are not just about destruction. They are about shaping the environment—gaining presence, influence, and strategic advantage,” Pernik said.

She outlined how state and non-state actors use disinformation, intellectual property theft, digital infrastructure investments, and AI to expand digital sovereignty. She warned that cyber dominance is becoming increasingly central to national security strategies, particularly as major powers compete for control over the technologies and platforms shaping the modern information environment.

The dual perspectives offered by Magnan and Pernik reflect the core mission of PCSS: to equip rising and senior leaders with a shared understanding of cyber threats and responses across borders, agencies, and disciplines. The program bridges the gap between technical experts and policymakers, helping participants evaluate cyber risk, develop national strategies, and strengthen international collaboration.

Throughout the three-week program, participants will continue exploring the intersection of cyber policy, law, technology, and strategy through lectures, case studies, and hands-on exercises. The goal is to foster not only knowledge but long-term cooperation among cyber security leaders from Allied and partner nations.

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