Awarded the 10th Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Information and Communication Technologies, mathematician Adi Shamir warns in this interview that “we are losing the cybersecurity war” and explains why digital threats have evolved faster than technological and human defenses. Drawing on his extensive experience in cryptography, including co-inventing the RSA algorithm, Shamir analyzes how current systems face challenges such as sophisticated attacks, vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, and the growing reliance on interconnected networks. His reflections underscore the urgent need to redesign security approaches, integrate best encryption practices, and foster a culture of digital resilience to protect data, services, and privacy in an increasingly interconnected world.
The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Information and Communication Technologies category g
Awarded the 10th Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Information and Communication Technologies, mathematician Adi Shamir warns in this interview that “we are losing the cybersecurity war” and explains why digital threats have evolved faster than technological and human defenses. Drawing on his extensive experience in cryptography, including co-inventing the RSA algorithm, Shamir analyzes how current systems face challenges such as sophisticated attacks, vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, and the growing reliance on interconnected networks. His reflections underscore the urgent need to redesign security approaches, integrate best encryption practices, and foster a culture of digital resilience to protect data, services, and privacy in an increasingly interconnected world.
The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Information and Communication Technologies category goes, in this tenth edition, to Shafi Goldwasser, Silvio Micali, Ronald Rivest and Adi Shamir for their “fundamental contributions to modern cryptology, an area of a tremendous impact on our everyday life,” in the words of the jury’s citation. “Their advanced crypto-protocols enable the safe and secure transmission of electronic data, ranging from e-mail to financial transactions. In addition, their work provides the underpinning for digital signatures, blockchains and crypto-currencies,” like Bitcoin.
00:00 Introduction
00:05 The jury of this award has noted that your work in the field of cryptography “has had a tremendous impact on our everyday lives.” Could you explain in what ways this is true for the innovations you pioneered?
00:48 In your view, what are the greatest security threats facing our contemporary digital society in its daily use of the Internet?
01:36 How do you see the future of cybersecurity and cryptography? Do you believe we will have the technological tools to live in a safer digital environment?
