Saving Our Spectrum: Handling Radio Layer Vulnerabilities in Wireless Systems

Tags: Spectrum Policy / Technology Policy

View Event Recording.

We rely on spectrum more than ever before, for public safety, mobile services, navigation, entertainment, and more. Spectrum is now part of critical infrastructure, and analysts project 50 billion connected devices by 2025, with 90% of them connected wirelessly. However, policymakers have only just begun to think through what it means to secure wireless access. The problem is new enough – and serious enough – to warrant the spectrum policy community gathering to map out the situation.

This half-day conference will convene a diverse group of policymakers, industry players, and academics to discuss the intersection of cybersecurity and radio operation. We will explore the risks of increasing reliance on wireless systems and access to spectrum, and discuss ways to solve such problems. We will focus on the radio link rather than conventional cybersecurity issues: the challenges created by radio receivers necessarily being open to incoming signals in order to function, unlike wired networks, which can be physically shielded.

The conference will feature keynotes by Julius Knapp, Chief of the Federal Communications Commission’s Office of Engineering and Technology, and Dr. Lisa Porter, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, who oversees the U.S. Department of Defense’s work on 5G security. There will be panel discussions on the health care industry, cellular communications, along with next steps and solutions in this area.

The conference will be preceded by an optional technology primer to make the topic accessible to non-experts.


Sessions

10/10/19 12:00pm - 12:50pm
OPTIONAL PRE-CONFERENCE PRIMER

@ University of Colorado Law School, Room 205

  • Dale Hatfield — Presenter
    Spectrum Policy Initiative Co-director and Distinguished Advisor, Silicon Flatirons
  • Keith Gremban — Presenter
    Research Professor of Technology, Cybersecurity, and Policy, University of Colorado
10/10/19 1:00pm - 1:05pm
WELCOME

@ University of Colorado Law School, Wittemyer Courtroom

  • JP de Vries
    Director Emeritus and Distinguished Advisor, Silicon Flatirons
10/10/19 1:05pm - 1:30pm
OPENING KEYNOTE
  • Julius Knapp — Keynote
    Former Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology (retired), Federal Communications Commission
10/10/19 1:30pm - 2:30pm
PANEL 1 - MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS
  • JP de Vries — Moderator
    Director Emeritus and Distinguished Advisor, Silicon Flatirons
  • Jeff Reed — Presenter
    Professor, Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Tech
  • Tom Sawanobori — Presenter
    Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, CTIA
  • Scott Fox — Panelist
    Chief Executive Officer, Global View Partners
  • Jay Jacobsmeyer — Panelist
    President, Pericle Communications Company
  • Yomna N — Panelist
    Research Engineer and Technology Fellow, Electronic Frontier Foundation
10/10/19 2:30pm - 2:45pm
BREAK

10/10/19 2:45pm - 3:45pm
PANEL 2 - HEALTH CARE
  • Liz Harding — Moderator
    Shareholder, Polsinelli
  • Stephen Berger — Panelist
    President, TEM Consulting, LP
  • Phil Englert — Panelist
    Global Leader for Healthcare Technology, Deloitte Advisory
  • Erin Kenneally — Panelist
    Director, Cyber Risk Strategy, Guidewire- Cyber Risk Analytics
  • Shreyas Sen — Panelist
    Assistant Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University
10/10/19 3:45pm - 4:00pm
BREAK

10/10/19 4:00pm - 5:00pm
PANEL 3 - SOLUTIONS AND NEXT STEPS
  • Keith Gremban — Moderator
    Research Professor of Technology, Cybersecurity, and Policy, University of Colorado
  • Rebecca Dorch — Panelist
    Senior Spectrum Policy Analyst - Office of the Director, NTIA Institute for Telecommunication Sciences
  • Monisha Ghosh — Panelist
    Research Professor of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
  • Clete D. Johnson — Panelist
    Partner, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP
10/10/19 5:00pm - 5:30pm
CLOSING KEYNOTE
  • Dr. Lisa Porter — Keynote
    Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, U.S. Department of Defense
10/10/19 5:30pm - 6:30pm
RECEPTION

Know What’s Next