1. Moscow, Russia 29 September 2016
Emerging technologies and global security: an agenda for the 21st century

2. Prof. dr. Dennis Broeders
Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy
Erasmus University Rotterdam
The public Core of the Internet. An international agenda for internet Governance

3. The Internet as a Global Public Good
There is a core of internet protocols and infrastructure that can be considered a Global Public Good
The world’s digital economies and societies are built on top of this ‘public core’
Protection and preservation of this public core is an ‘extended national interest’

4. Trends in internet governance
Rise of state involvement, national security and national interests in internet governance
Demographic shifts translate into geopolitical shifts
Impact on the governance of the internet infrastructure and on the governance using the internet infrastructure.
Various forms of ‘internet fragmentation’ some of which may harm the public core of the internet.

5. Challenge for the future of internet governance
How can the public core of the internet be protected against unwarranted interventions by states?

6. The need for an international agenda for internet governance
Protect the public core of the internet
(II)
Disentangle internet security and national security
(III)
Broaden the diplomatic arena

7. (I) Protect the Public Core of the Internet
There is a need to establish and disseminate an international standard stipulating that the Internet’s
public core – its main protocols and infrastructure, which are a global public good – must be safeguarded against unwarranted intervention by states
Demarcate and define the public core of the internet
Advocate and spread the standard (national agenda plus connect with existing international fora and initiatives (UN, EU, `CoE, GGE etc.)

8. The public core of the internet
Aimed at states: self-restraint and restraining non-state actors
Lowest common denominator approach (extended national interest for the most states)
Aim: prevent a loss of functionality and integrity of the public core

9. A growing choir
“a sense of collective stewardship towards the public core of the Internet and the open standards on which its technologies and networks are based”. ISOC, 2016 “Consistent with the recognition that parts of the Internet constitute a global public good, the commission urges member states of the United Nations to agree not to use cyber weapons against core infrastructure of the Internet” CIGI, 2016
In June 2016 the Internet Society (ISOC) published a beta version of its Policy Framework for an open and trusted Internet in which it states that the technical community shares “a sense of collective stewardship towards the public core of the Internet and the open standards on which its technologies and networks are based”. Also in June 2016, the Global Commission on Internet Governance (the Bildt Commission) published its final report called One Internet, which included a policy recommendation on the protection of the public core that read: “Consistent with the recognition that parts of the Internet constitute a global public good, the commission urges member states of the United Nations to agree not to use cyber weapons against core infrastructure of the Internet”

10. What is the public core? Working from the inside out
Solid core, fuzzy edges
Open ended
Define it’s component parts or use un- or underdefined terminology (critical infrastructure)?

11. The public core as a global critical infrastructure
Article 13f of the UN GGE report as an example?:
A State should not conduct or knowingly support ICT activity contrary to its obligations under international law that intentionally damages critical infrastructure or otherwise impairs the use and operation of critical infrastructure to provide services to the public;

12. A layered or a functional approach?
Layered approach to the public core
(1) the logical infrastructure (TCP/IP, DNS, BGP....)
(2) the physical infrastructure (DNS servers, sea cables..)
(3) vital organisation, nodes (CERTs, IXs.....)
A functional approach to the public core
Protect the general availability and integrity of the core forwarding and naming functions of the global internet