The Cyber Stability Conference 2025 (#CS25), a UNIDIR flagship event addressing evolving cyber threats to strengthen international peace and security, will meet this year under the theme “Crisis Averted: Cyber Resilience in Action.”
In our increasingly digital and interconnected world, the scale and sophistication of malicious activities targeting critical information and infrastructure continue to grow. Such threats pose unprecedented risks to international peace and security, with the potential to trigger cascading effects at national, regional and global levels. The stakes have never been higher.
The UNIDIR Cyber Stability Conference 2025 introduces an innovative format to address these challenges. Guided by UNIDIR’s Cyber Intrusion Pathway framework, the conference will examine each phase of a cyber incident, fostering a deeper understanding of cyber resilience in practice. The conference will spotlight how the practical implementation of the UN framework for responsible State behaviour in the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) can strengthen resilience against cyber threats.
Taking place during the inaugural Geneva Cyber Week, the Cyber Stability Conference 2025 will convene a diverse array of perspectives from government, industry, academia and civil society. As a cornerstone event of the week, the conference will leverage the expertise of leading stakeholders gathered in Geneva for a series of dynamic discussions and events.
When and where
Monday, 12 May 2025, 09:00-17:45 CEST, Palais des Nations (Room XXIII), Geneva and online.
Agenda
09:00-09:20 • Conference opening
09:20-09:30 • Welcome to Dystopia
09:30-10:45 • Session 1 – Outside the perimeter: Strengthening digital supply chains
This session will examine how cyber threats can originate and evolve in a digital environment, focusing on vulnerabilities that arise well before malicious actors breach perimeter defenses of critical infrastructure. Using the Dystopia scenario as a point of departure, the discussion will explore the risks posed by ICT vulnerabilities and software supply chain dependencies.
10:45-11:15 • Coffee break
11:15-12:30 • Session 2 – On the perimeter: Enhancing endpoint security and protecting critical systems
This session will focus on how to deter and prevent intrusion attempts to breach the perimeter defenses of a critical infrastructure. Continuing to work on the Dystopia scenario as a point of departure for the discussion, panelists will address how cybersecurity measures, including at the technical, organizational and policy levels, may help protect the perimeter from unwelcome intrusions.
12:30-13:30 • Lunch break
13:30-14:45 • Session 3 – Inside the perimeter: Preventing cascading effects across essential services
This session will examine critical cybersecurity breakdowns and cascading impacts after malicious actors breach the perimeter defenses of critical infrastructure, using the evolving Dystopia scenario as a foundation. Panelists will discuss how inadequate cybersecurity measures allowed malicious cyber actors to disrupt essential services across Dystopia’s interconnected infrastructure.
14:45-15:15 • Coffee break
15:15-16:30 • Session 4 – Beyond the perimeter: From national crisis to regional response
This session will examine broader considerations regarding the cyber incident response and recovery. Building on the scenario as a point of departure, the panel will discuss the incident characterization, including questions on attribution (both technical and legal), relevant policy, legal and institutional frameworks to assess cyber incidents to critical infrastructure and its protection, diplomatic responses, regional cooperation and capacity-building.
16:30-17:30 • Session 5 – Advancing collective cyber resilience through diplomacy
Following the scenario-based discussions throughout the day, this session will consider the broader implications for international cooperation and diplomatic engagement in enhancing collective cyber resilience. The discussion will consider how international cooperation, cyber diplomacy and multilateral engagement can help close digital divides, support capacity-building and promote collective resilience in the face of increasingly complex cyber threats.
17:30-17:45 • Conference closing
Participants
UNIDIR encourages the participation of national representatives and other experts interested in digital technologies, in the context of international peace and security.
RSVP
- To attend in person, please register by Wednesday, 7 May 2025. Registration is mandatory for all participants, including those who already have the UNOG grounds pass. For more information, see user guides on Indico registration.
- To attend virtually, please register by Thursday 8 May 2025. Access to the event will be shared with registered participants prior to the conference.
Registration is mandatory for both in-person and virtual participation.
Further information
For queries, please contact sectec-unidir@un.org.