Universities: The New Battlefield for Nation-States
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 01:00 PM PST
Presented by IANS Faculty, Josh Danielson
Universities have become prime targets for nation-state actors seeking to exploit the strategic value of academic research, talent pipelines, and institutional access.
- China systematically pursues research in AI, biotechnology, and materials science.
- Russia conducts patient credential-harvesting campaigns.
- North Korea deploys fake IT workers with AI-generated identities and funds weapons programs through cryptocurrency theft.
- Iran maintains persistent access to critical infrastructure.
Active influence operations are already underway on U.S. campuses. Attack speeds have accelerated dramatically—yet some adversaries have remained hidden in university systems for years.
This session uses recent breaches as case studies to reveal what works—and what doesn’t—in defending higher education. We’ll explore why China, Iran, and North Korea target universities, how their tactics are evolving with AI, and which defenses could have prevented many major incidents.
Each recommendation is backed by real-world examples. Nation-state adversaries bring massive budgets and multi-year patience. This talk equips institutional leaders with practical, proven strategies to protect research, people, and access.