The pandemic has demonstrated the great potential of technology, as much of educational and working life has moved from the physical environment to cyberspace. However, cyberspace is also an enabling environment for malicious actions, threatening democratic principles and national security.
We have reached the point where maintaining the conveniences that technology provides us without undermining the personal safety and freedom of expression of citizens, safeguarding trust in the institutions and principles of democracy, protecting critical national security infrastructures and the future challenges of the Artificial Intelligence to be a challenge.
The questions that arise are how to strike the balance between privacy, freedom of expression and security? How will we deal with cyber threats? Where will the responsibility be placed? And in the effort to protect democracy and verify information, who will appoint the decision-makers, who will judge the decision-makers, who will evaluate the process?
The problems have been identified in that there is no clear definition and sufficient understanding of the concept of cyber security, online platforms cannot distinguish between correct information and misinformation, the business model of social media and many sites does not care about the validity of the content but only popularity, high sharing and increased traffic. In addition, in cyber space the attack has the advantage (zero cost, immediate impact and low probability of identifying the culprit) so cyber attacks can reach up to 40,000 per day.
The state is in immediate danger when the spread of a suspected electoral fraud on social media is enough to cause chaos and doubt in the democratic process.
Solutions exist and mainly concern precaution (difficulty in breaching security measures), and prevention (creating resilient infrastructure and reliable technology).
"Electoral cyber security", which will ensure the integrity of the trust in the electoral process, requires investment in the creation of appropriate algorithms and cooperation between private and public sectors. Finally, it is important to cultivate public interest in the quality and reliability of the information provided.
Cyberspace is the newest and least understood dimension of the operational field, but its defence entails the protection of national sovereignty and democracy. The questioning of an electoral process, the slightest hint of fraud on the internet polarises the climate, causes internal instability and empowers extreme parties.
Once guns were power now information is Power and the new arena of confrontation in defence of each side's narrative is carried over to the news and social media shaping opinions and movements.

The possibilities and weaknesses faced by modern democracies in the field of cyber security were at the centre of the International Conference on "Cyber Security and Democracy" co-organized by the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus, the Council of International Relations , the University of Southern California Cyber Security Initiative and the University of Southern California Institute for the Advancement of Technology in Higher Education.
The initiative was honoured with the presence of representatives from embassies, employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, journalists as well as the entire academic force and a select group of students of the University of Piraeus, actively participating in the dialogue and asking key questions.
The distinguished panel of speakers and moderators of the conference touched on the entire spectrum of challenges: from the posting of a fake news story on a social media that slowly but surely erodes our trust in institutions, to the thousands of cyber-attacks that threaten the security of critical infrastructure.
The paradox that modern democracies have to face is the question of limiting freedom of expression in order to protect freedom of expression. It is a very delicate balance with political, social and philosophical ramifications. The central conclusion of the conference is that the stakes are particularly high: social cohesion, the security of economic life, and the credibility of the democratic process.
The proceedings of the conference were opened by Vinton G. Cerf, one of the "fathers of the Internet", who in a taped message raised the central issue of maintaining the convenience of technology without undermining the security of citizens. The new US ambassador to Greece, Mr. George J. Tsunis, speaking for the first time at a public event in the country pointed out that "we are at the forefront of the fight between democratic values and the voices of tyranny and authoritarianism" and we are called to choose correctly, "to choose democracy."
The conference was sectioned in opening presentations on the theme of the conference, introductory presentations on the more specific topics of the conference, a keynote speech that set the tone of contemporary challenges in cyberspace and two panels, one for cyber security and cyber threats and one on cyber security and elections.
The first section featured Mr. Dimitrios Avramopoulos, former European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, who raised the critical issue of trust in the security of the digital environment to maintain the credibility of the electoral process. Vice-Admiral Mr. Ioannis Drymoussis, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of National Defence, who referred to the specifics of the new operational field of cyberspace. Mr. Michael Sfakianakis, Professor and Dean of the School of Economics, Business and International Studies of the University of Piraeus, who raised the issue of the erosion of democratic institutions by the spread of fake news. Last Ms. Maria Virvou, Professor and President of the Department of Informatics at the University of Piraeus, emphasized that the issue is the acquisition of reliable technology, as false news and false opinions can influence voters and alter the democratic process.
Mr. Chrysostomos Nikias, former President of the University of Southern California and President of the International Advisory Committee of the Council on International Relations, referred to the symbolic value of the debate on the protection of democracy in the place where democracy was born, made introductory remarks.

Mr. Athanasios G. Platias, Professor of Strategy at the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus, pointed out the timelessness of the threats against democracy since ancient times but also the differences in the modern era by pointing out the role of "Sharp Power" in international relations.
The keynote address was given by Mr. Adam Clayton Powell III, Executive Director of the University of Southern California's Cybersecurity Initiative and member of the Council on International Relations' International Advisory Committee, who spoke at length about the work, challenges, and contributions of the cybersecurity election program in the recent elections in the United States.
The first panel was moderated by Ms. Konstantina Botsiou, Professor at the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus and Director General of the Council on International Relations. Mr. Clifford Neuman, Director of the Computer Systems Security Centre and Asst. Professor at the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Electrical Engineering, highlighted the tensions between the protection of personal data and citizen and society security especially during the electoral process. Then went on to analyse the pillars of cyber security.
Mr. Andreas Liaropoulos, Assistant Professor at the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus, raised the crucial question of whether digital technology can function as a force of liberation or as a form of authoritarian control, then analysed its ramifications.
The panel included Mr. Georgios Tsichrintzis, Professor of the Department of Informatics at the University of Piraeus, who addressed the ethical dimension of the issue, Ms. Lilian Mitrou, Professor at the Department of Engineering, Information and Communication Systems of the University of the Aegean, who emphasized the legal and practical implications. Mr. Ioannis L. Konstantopoulos, Assistant Professor at the Department of International and European Studies at the University of Piraeus, who raised the issue of the appropriate way to address cybersecurity challenges.
The second panel was moderated by Mr. Aristotelis Giambiris, Professor of the Department of International and European Studies at the University of Piraeus and President of the International Relations Council. Mr. Matthew Turpin, visiting researcher at the Hoover Foundation, focused on the geopolitical competition between the United States and China on one hand and on the practical application of democratic values on electronic platforms on the other. Ms. Sarah Mojarad from the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Electrical Engineering, who presented interesting examples of recent election processes where the results were challenged due to cyber security issues. Mr. Christos Hatziemmanouil, Professor at the Department of International and European Studies of the University of Piraeus, who presented the European perspective on the issue of the relationship between democracy and cyber security.