The talk with Pavlina Pavlova examines the growing threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and their human toll. Attackers exploit weaknesses to disrupt services, endangering lives and destabilising communities. Real-world examples, such as ransomware paralysing hospitals or data breaches of public administration triggering cascading failures, reveal how cyber incidents harm people and erode societal trust. Responses highlight state-led cooperation, including the UN’s efforts to implement norms of responsible state behaviour and clarify the application of international law in cyberspace, EU initiatives like the NIS2 Directive and the Cybersecurity Act, and the International Counter Ransomware Initiative launched by the White House. Drawing on her experience in the European Parliament, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the United Nations, Pavlova offers a view on the impacts that often go untold – and explains why protecting societies in the digital age requires bold governance.
This event is co-organised by the Centre for Digital Governance and the Centre for International Security. The event will be moderated by Aneta Migátová (Centre for Digital Governance, MIA ’26) with a welcome by Prof. Daniela Stockmann (Centre for Digital Governance).
