Get the latest tech news

The Tech Crash Course That Trains US Diplomats to Spot Threats


From Russian election interference to Chinese industrial dominance, the US State Department is training diplomats in cybersecurity, privacy, telecommunications, and other technology issues to advance US policy abroad.

In a sunlight-filled classroom at the US State Department’s diplomacy school in late February, America’s cyber ambassador fielded urgent questions from US diplomats who were spending the week learning about the dizzying technological forces shaping their missions. The diplomats, who had come from overseas embassies and from State Department headquarters in nearby Washington, DC, were the sixth cohort of students to undergo a crash course in cybersecurity, telecommunications, privacy, surveillance, and other digital issues, which Fick’s team created in late 2022. This leadership is important on high-profile subjects like artificial intelligence and the 5G war between Western and Chinese vendors, but it’s equally vital on the bread-and-butter digital issues—like basic internet connectivity and fighting cybercrime—that don’t generate headlines but still dominate many countries’ diplomatic engagements with the US.

Get the Android app

Or read this on Wired

Read more on:

Photo of threats

threats

Photo of diplomats

diplomats

Photo of tech crash course

tech crash course

Related news:

News photo

AI-Equipped Underwater Drones Helping US Navy Scan for Threats

News photo

After Trump’s guilty verdict, threats and attempts to dox Trump jurors proliferate online | CNN Business

News photo

Uber, Lyft Walk Back Threats to Leave Minneapolis as State Passes New Minimum Wage For Drivers