Udi Sommer

My research agenda focuses on the behavior of Western cyber companies and the way it changed over time to incorporate geopolitical considerations and norms into their decision-making processes. Although these companies are firmly rooted in the private sector, they operate in a manner that is closely attuned to global political dynamics, thus influencing key trends in international relations and global cyber conflict. The key argument suggests that over time, Western private companies have taken upon themselves a set of norms and behaviors that reflect a shift from business-driven objectives early on to a delicate balance between corporate interests, national security considerations and human rights. My work refers to this set of behaviors as “responsible behavior” and aims to elucidate the evolving nature over time of Western cybersecurity companies to incorporate such behavior in various domains.