Bill Woodcock: The Internet and Sanctions — Russia, Ukraine, and the Future of the Network

A DEF CON 30 talk about the role of the internet in international sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. After the invasion began, the Ukrainian government asked ICANN and RIPE to disconnect Russia from the global internet, sparking a major debate within the internet community.

The talk explores how international sanctions are defined and implemented, what role internet operators and internet governance organizations can play, and the risks that arise when geopolitical conflicts begin to affect core internet infrastructure.