Event

Cybersecurity across disciplines

31.03.2025

Prof. Dr. Estrid Sørensen (Ruhr University Bochum) will give the lecture “Cybersecurity across Disciplines” as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series: Security in Everyday Digitization by the Bavarian Research Association ForDaySec.

Description

Scientific data centers and digital infrastructures are essential components of modern knowledge production. But how do data practices shape research, and what impact do they have on planetary resources such as energy and minerals? What social and organizational mechanisms contribute to making the environmental effects of these scientific infrastructures largely invisible?

These questions are at the heart of the lecture by Prof. Dr. Estrid Sørensen (Ruhr University Bochum), who will speak on March 31, 2025, at 5:00 PM as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series: Security in Everyday Digitization by the Bavarian Research Association ForDaySec.

The lecture will be held in English and streamed live exclusively on the ForDaySec YouTube channel.

• Data Infrastructures and Their Impact – Insights into Cybersecurity and Knowledge Production
• How do data centers and data practices influence science and our planet? 
• Expert Prof. Dr. Estrid Sørensen explores the interactions between cybersecurity, data infrastructures, and global resources

About the Speaker

Prof. Dr. Estrid Sørensen (Ruhr University Bochum) explores the interactions between materiality, knowledge, and social life. Inspired by Science & Technology Studies (STS), her research includes micro-analytical ethnographic studies on knowledge production and socio-material practices.

Currently, she focuses on data practices, cybersecurity, and scientific data centers, particularly their impact on planetary resources such as energy and minerals.

Post-quantum cryptography: Counting Down till 2033

06.11.2023

For the opening event of our Distinguished Lecture Series: Security in Everyday Digitization, we invited Prof. Dr. Bart Preneel from the KU Leuven in Belgium.

Description

Post-quantum cryptography: time to act
Experts predict that between 2033 and 2045, we will witness the emergence of powerful quantum computers capable of fundamentally compromising our current public-key systems, which form the bedrock of security for various network and application protocols (such as TLS, IPsec, SSH, EMV, PKI, and code updates).
While this might seem like a distant concern given the daily onslaught of cybersecurity threats, it is essential to recognize the urgency for two critical reasons.

• Firstly, sensitive data, including medical and financial information, may retain its significance for several decades. High profile adversaries can collect and store this data today, anticipating future decryption capabilities enabled by quantum computers. This underscores the need to address quantum threats proactively.

• Secondly, the transition to quantum-resistant infrastructure is an intricate and time-consuming process, especially in complex ecosystems comprising tens of billions of devices. It is estimated that this migration will take at least a decade to complete successfully.

Notably, recent developments have underscored the importance of preparing for the post-quantum era. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released its initial draft of post-quantum standards, and the National Security Agency (NSA) has outlined an ambitious timeline for their implementation, with completion ranging from 2029 to 2033 depending on the application.

In light of these developments, any lingering doubt about the necessity of preparing for quantum threats is disappearing. It is now clear that every organization must commence planning for their migration in the coming year.

This talk provided a technical update on the new post-quantum standards and their practical implementation while addressing the challenges inherent in the migration process.

Everyday life – digital and secure?

05.10.2022

In this public kick-off event of the research network we presented our research project.

Agenda

• Welcome and short presentation of the network
• Keynote Prof. Dr. Dominik Herrmann, Chair of Privacy and Security in Information Systems, University of Bamberg
• Panel discussion (Moderation: Prof. Dr. Dominik Herrmann; Participants: Dr. Henrich C. Pöhls, Prof. Dr. Sabine Pfeiffer, Andreas Sachs, Caroline Krohn)

Download agenda

Pickings

We thank all participants for their visit!

A selection of our most important learnings:

• It is about creating a “culture of security awareness” (Caroline Krohn). ForDaySec will make a contribution to this and contribute to the discussion.
• Authorities regulating IT security are enormously important.
• The fact that (too) much power is held by the large IT commercial enterprises and (too) little by the public administration is a circumstance that must be critically examined (Prof. Dr. Sabine Pfeiffer) and decided how IT security is to be guaranteed in society.
• Does IT security have to be so complex, or is there another way?