Digital Identity on Defense

The battlegrounds of modern conflicts have decisively entered the digital space. From cyberattacks on government databases to manipulating or erasing personal records, aggressors weaponize identity systems to destabilize nations and disenfranchise people and communities. Beginning with a foundational overview of international paradigms such as the EU’s eIDAS Regulation, the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda, and international development communities, this panel will examine international identity attacks, focusing on the ongoing war in Ukraine and parallels in conflicts such as Myanmar, Syria, and Sudan. The panel will expand the discussion beyond war zones to address how actors leverage identity systems of oppression and disenfranchisement. Through this broader context, the conversation will explore adversarial activity targeting identity systems during state-level conflict, providing valuable comparisons across diverse regions and crises. Experts from legal and technological fields will highlight the critical need for multidisciplinary cooperation to safeguard human rights, data integrity, and access to vital services.