A Trusted Space for Dialogue in International Geneva
The CyberPeace Conversations are a series of informal gatherings held at the Geneva Graduate Institute under the Chatham House Rule. Jointly organised by the CyberPeace Institute and Microsoft, in partnership with the Tech Hub, the initiative brings together small groups of stakeholders, including representatives of Permanent Missions, international organisations, and policy experts, for candid discussions on pressing digital policy challenges.
These sessions prioritise open exchange, relationship-building, and mutual learning, offering a trusted environment for frank and forward-looking conversations.
Deep Dive into Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report 2025
The latest session, held on 11 March 2026, focused on the evolving global cyber governance landscape through the lens of the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025.
Led by Nemanja Malisevic, Senior Director for Digital Diplomacy at Microsoft, the discussion provided participants with experience-driven insights into the scale, nature, and implications of today’s cyber threats.
Key takeaways included:
- An increasingly complex threat landscape: Cyberattacks are growing in scale, speed, and sophistication, with a 20% year-on-year increase and rising costs projected to reach unprecedented levels.
- The industrialisation of cybercrime: Cybercrime is no longer a series of isolated acts, but a globalised ecosystem offering “cybercrime-as-a-service,” often operating from permissive jurisdictions.
- The central role of identity: The vast majority of attacks now originate from compromised credentials, making identity protection a critical frontline in cybersecurity.
A primary focus of the session was the transformative role of artificial intelligence, described through its “triple role”. AI is simultaneously a tool, enabling innovation across sectors while remaining dependent on trust, security, and resilience; a weapon, increasingly leveraged by malicious actors to scale and automate attacks; and a target, as AI systems themselves become strategic assets vulnerable to sophisticated threats.
Beyond technical considerations, the session highlighted the strategic and diplomatic dimensions of cybersecurity. As cyberspace becomes an increasingly contested domain, effective governance requires closer cooperation between governments, the private sector, and civil society.
At a time when digital technologies are reshaping both conflict and cooperation, such spaces are essential to fostering informed, inclusive, and constructive dialogue in International Geneva.
Read the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2025 here
If you wish to participate in the next sessions, please contact us at: ralph.muller@graduateinstitute.ch