Darius Štitilis

Bio: Darius Štitilis is an academic researcher from Mykolas Romeris University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Data Protection Act 1998 & General Data Protection Regulation. The author has an hindex of 6, co-authored 23 publications receiving 97 citations.

Preconditions of sustainable ecosystem: cyber security policy and strategies

Abstract: Ten years have already passed since the first cyber security strategies were drawn up in different countries reflecting global cyber security policy. The aim of this scientific article is to analyze the historical development of cyber security strategies of selected EU and NATO countries and to reveal future trends of cyber security policy. The article examines key elements of the selected strategies in the initial cyber security strategies and the description thereof in the already improved cyber security strategies. We selected countries with different allegiances. First, we chose two countries that are members of both the EU and NATO (the Netherlands and Estonia), then a country, which is only a member of NATO, namely, the United Stated of America, thirdly, an EU state, which is not a member of NATO, namely, Finland. We believe the research results may be used for both the development of current cyber security strategies, as well as well as for drafting a cyber security policy.

EU and NATO cybersecurity strategies and national cyber security strategies: a comparative analysis

Abstract: Given the global nature of cyber threats, assurance of a cyber security policy is very important not only at organization level but also at national level. Currently, cyber security as such is not independently regulated internationally; therefore the role of the EU and NATO in ensuring cyber security has become particularly significant. This article presents a study which compares the cyber security policies of the EU and NATO organizations. An analysis of how national cyber security strategies correspond with the cyber security policies and the strategic directions of these organizations has been carried out. We have also carried out a comparative study of the provision of national cyber security strategies of the EU and NATO. The study reveals that regardless of similar goals, namely assurance of cyber resilience, the selected harmonization and coordination approaches, as well as norms of national cybersecurity strategies, differ.

Concepts and principles of cyber security strategies

Abstract: In the last few decades, the understanding of security has been changing. New areas emerged which may influence security facets, which were not urgent earlier. Now those facets can endanger individual persons or even states. Breaches of cyber security, separate attacks or intense cyber wars are becoming more usual than conventional wars in the physical space; violations of cyber security may cause great damage, ruin businesses or even temporarily paralyze full-fledged functioning of individual states or regions. Many countries of the world, realizing that such a threat is real, adopted Cyber Security Strategies; for some countries, this is not the first version of such a strategy. This article examines the place of Cyber Security Strategies in the system of state documents, the nature and importance of such strategies as well as whether they are binding on individuals and institutions. The article explores in more detail the principles of ensuring cyber security provided for in such strategies, i.e. the principles identified by the states, as important for ensuring cyber security. It is discussed why these principles are so different in the strategies of individual states.

Toward a New Legal Common Sense: Law, Globalization, and Emancipation

Abstract: Paradigmatic transition is the idea that ours is a time of transition between the paradigm of modernity, which seems to have exhausted its regenerating capacities, and another, emergent time, of which so far we have seen only signs. Modernity as an ambitious and revolutionary sociocultural paradigm based on a dynamic tension between social regulation and social emancipation, the prevalent dynamic in the sixteenth century, has by the twenty-first century tilted in favour of regulation, to the determent of emancipation. The collapse of emancipation into regulation, and hence the impossibility of thinking about social emancipation consistently, symbolizes the exhaustion of the paradigm of modernity. At the same time, it signals the emergence of a new paradigm or new paradigms. This updated 2020 edition is written for students taking law and globalization courses, and political science, philosophy and sociology students doing optional subjects.

Self-driving cars and data collection: Privacy perceptions of networked autonomous vehicles

Abstract: Self-driving vehicles and other networked autonomous robots use sophisticated sensors to capture continuous data about the surrounding environment. In the public spaces where autonomous vehicles operate there is little reasonable expectation of privacy and no notice or choice given, raising privacy questions. To improve the acceptance of networked autonomous vehicles and to facilitate the development of technological and policy mechanisms to protect privacy, public expectations and concerns must first be investigated. In a study (n=302) of residents in cities with and without Uber autonomous vehicle fleets, we explore people’s conceptions of the sensing and analysis capabilities of self-driving vehicles; their comfort with the different capabilities; and the effort, if any, to which they would be willing to go to opt out of data collection. We find that 54% of participants would spend more than five minutes using an online system to opt out of identifiable data collection. In addition, secondary use scenarios such as recognition, identification, and tracking of individuals and their vehicles were associated with low likelihood ratings and high discomfort. Surprisingly, those who thought secondary use scenarios were more likely were more comfortable with those scenarios. We discuss the implications of our results for understanding the unique challenges of this new technology and recommend industry guidelines to protect privacy.

Sustainable and secure development: facet of personal financial issues

Abstract: Russian economic reforms of the 1990s triggered off the massive economic transformation that went hand in hand with worsening of the life prospects of the population, rising of unemployment, inflation, personal debts and creating social unrests among other security issues. The new economic perspectives offered by the free and open market created the previously unthinkable incentives for many people. Borrowing and lending became fully legal endeavors and the new economic order offered unprecedented opportunities and a variety of consumer goods and services that were previously unavailable. One of the outcomes of this process was the sharp increase in the number of debts and personal insolvency issues. It appears that many Russian citizens lacked the financial literacy and healthy judgement in their financial management that led to the problems of economic insolvency debt. This paper focuses on the issue of personal economic and financial security in Russian Federation. We analyze the available data before and after the economic crisis of the 2007-2009 and the recent sanctions to demonstrate the patterns of borrowing behavior of the Russians. Our results show that borrowing decreased in the recent months following the introduction of economic sanctions which can be explained by the overall feeling of uncertainty and the fear of economic collapse of various households. We argue that good financial literacy might increase the basic economic awareness and contribute to the better security in the everyday life in the Russian Federation.

Towards Efficient Policy Making: Forecasts of Vulnerability to External Global Threats

Abstract: Each country has to be able to develop efficient economic policy, facilitating sustainable economic development of national economy. In order to devise such policy, development patterns of a country has to be known, external threats indicated and various scenarios of their impact has to be foreseen, their impact forecasted and discussed. Alas, in contemporary environment in conditions of globalization predicting of development peculiarities and external factors’ impact becomes especially urgent issue. Presented paper is devoted to discussion about predicted development selected national economies with account of threats caused by global environment. Economic indicators of Lithuania and Germany forested for period of three years, estimated, are being analyzed. The following methodology is applied. At first main macroeconomic indicators, such as real GDP growth, inflation, interest rates and unemployment ceteris paribus forecasted until year 2022 will be compared. The second, external threats will be selected and considered. Forecasted impact of indicated threats on real GDP growth of Lithuania and Germany will be discussed; source of employed data: database Passport, provided by Euromonitor International Company and powered by Clarivate Analytics (data are provided for research purposes for subscribed users). Change of real GDP growth in Lithuania and Germany under indicated threats pressure after one year period and three years period is juxtaposed. The findings suggest insights about development patterns of small comparatively less developed open economy and big well developed country belonging to the same economic union. Findings are instrumental for devising national economic policies enhancing resilience of national economies to external (global) threats.

Cyber Security Management Model for Critical Infrastructure

Abstract: Cyber security is the most critical aspect nowadays of our technologically based lives. Government institutions, banking sectors, public and private services, nuclear power plants, power grid operators, water suppliers or waste water treatment companies use information technologies in their day-to-day operations. Everything that uses technologies are based on communication and information systems and that means that it depends on cyber security. The public and private sector each year spend millions of dollars on technologies, security software and hardware devices that will increase the cyber security inside their companies, but they are still vulnerable. The main problem of this situation is that cyber security is still usually treated as a technical aspect or technology which can be easily implemented inside the organization and this implementation will guarantee cyber security. This attitude must change, because cyber security nowadays is something more than just the technology. This article presents the taxonomy of the critical infrastructure attacks, analyzes attack vectors and attack methods used to damage critical infrastructure as well as the most common cyber security mistakes which organizations make in the cyber security field when trying to make themselves safer from vulnerabilities. The main aim of this article is to provide theoretical aspects of the cyber security management model which can be used to ensure security of critical infrastructure in an organization or company. The cyber security management model that is presented in this article is analyzed from management perspectives and is not concerned with technological aspects and products that are used to protect critical infrastructure from cyber security attacks and vulnerabilities.