Securing the Long-Chain of Cyber-Physical Global Communication Infrastructure

Executive Order, May 2019 states: “...foreign adversaries are increasingly creating and exploiting vulnerabilities in information and communications technology and services ... in order to commit malicious cyber-enabled actions, including economic and industrial espionage against the United States and its people. ” [1]. This paper focuses on challenges of securing the long chain of global communication infrastructure, presents some illustrative data, and puts forth a multi-method research design for analysis of long-chain systems of information and or communications technology, infrastructure, services, ownership, providers, and networks - within a state and outside its jurisdiction - all essential for unimpeded global operations. A proof of concept for data requirements to support end-to-end integrated research is provided, along with highlights of some initial empirical analysis, with China as a case in point.