Volume 13

Main Volumes, Volume 13

Volume 13, Issue 2

Dueling over Dual_EC_DRGB: The Consequences of Corrupting a Cryptographic Standardization Process By Nadiya Kostyuk and Susan Landau In recent decades, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which develops cryptographic standards for non-national security agencies of the U.S. government, has emerged as the de facto international source for cryptographic standards. But in 2013, Edward Snowden disclosed that the National Security Agency had subverted the integrity of a NIST cryptographic standard—the Dual_EC_DRBG—enabling easy decryption of supposedly secured communications. This discovery reinforced the desire of some public and private entities to develop their own cryptographic standards instead of relying on […]

Main Articles, Volume 13

The Lexicon of Terror: Crystallization of the Definition of “Terrorism” Through the Lens of Terrorist Financing & The Financial Action Task Force

Juan Zarate and Sarah Watson [*] [Full text of this Article in PDF is available at this link] Introduction It is widely assumed that there is no accepted international definition of terrorism, in part because global views on what constitutes terrorism are so politically polarized as to prevent arriving at any meaningful common ground. This view is widespread both in popular culture and the academic community despite the decades of work on this issue at the United Nations (UN), the existence of several UN conventions addressing terrorism, and the increasing convergence of domestic laws on terrorism. In common discourse, any

Main Articles, Volume 13

Dueling over Dual_EC_DRGB: The Consequences of Corrupting a Cryptographic Standardization Process

Nadiya Kostyuk and Susan Landau [*] [Full text of this Article in PDF is available at this link] Introduction The Internet presents a serious conundrum. Though well known to have security problems, the network is globally relied upon for commerce and used to control many critical systems and infrastructure. This inconsistency is partially explained by the fact that when someone says, “The Internet is insecure,” they are often not referring to the communications network, but rather the applications that run on it. But it is also true that a network itself can be insecure and nonetheless be widely used—because the

Main Articles, Volume 13

Withdrawal from Afghanistan Marks Guantánamo’s Endpoint

David Glazier [*] [Full text of this Article in PDF is available at this link] Introduction The events of September 11, 2001 (9/11) represented a profound shock to both the American public and world legal order. For the first time, a terrorist group—traditionally regarded as criminals—committed violence of sufficient magnitude to constitute an armed attack that could allow the United States to legally exercise the right of self-defense in response.[1] President George W. Bush quickly termed 9/11 an act of war, and Congress agreed.[2] The Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) let the president use “all necessary and

Main Articles, Volume 13

Is Esquire a Higher Clearance than Top Secret?: A Comparison of the Bar Admission and National Security Clearance Processes

John Cook [*] [Full text of this Article in PDF is available at this link] . . . Introduction To work in either the national security field or the legal profession, candidates must endure the substantial hurdle of a highly invasive background check. Submission of the Standard Form 86 (SF-86) is required of candidates for national security clearances. [3] Candidates for bar admission must complete a character and fitness form,[4] which the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) supplies many states.[5] Although there are other steps that may be required in these processes, completing their respective forms is a very

Main Articles, Volume 13

Iron Dome and Jus Ad Bellum Proportionality

Shelly Aviv Yeini [*] [Full text of this Article in PDF is available at this link] I.   Introduction In earlier times, before the start of battle, soldiers with swords in hand quietly waited for the order to attack. Regardless of whether they won or lost, opposing generals knew with certainty that fatalities and injuries would occur on both sides. With the development of technologically sophisticated and efficient defense systems, present-day armed attacks by less technologically advanced aggressors may result in no fatalities at all, but still trigger a defensive counterattack that results in a high number of casualties. After the latest

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