The USA published the International Strategy for Cyberspace in May 201110. The strategy describes a number of activities to be carried out in seven areas. The strategy is based on a model of collaboration between government, international partners and the private sector:
- Economy: promoting international standards and innovative, open markets.
- Protecting national networks: improving security, reliability and resiliency.
- Law and order: increased cooperation and rule of law.
- The military industry: preparing for modern security challenges.
- Internet government: promoting effective and inclusive government structures.
- International development: building security, developing international competence and economic prosperity.
- Freedom on the Internet: Supporting fundamental freedoms and privacy.
The first cybersecurity strategies began to emerge at the beginning of the previous decade. One of the first countries that began to perceive cybersecurity as a matter of national importance was the United States of America. In 2003, the United States published the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace7. The document was part of a broader National Strategy for Homeland Security set up in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
In the years that followed, action plans and strategies began to be disseminated across Europe to meet this challenge. In 2005 Germany adopts the National Plan for Information Infrastructure Protection (NPSI). Next year Sweden is developing a Strategy to improve Internet security in Sweden. Following a major cyber attack in 2007, Estonia became one of the first EU member states to publish a broad national cybersecurity strategy in 2008. Since then, a lot of work has been done in this area at the state level, and in the last four years, ten EU member states have published their state cybersecurity strategies. A brief description of the strategies is provided below.
Several countries of the European Union are currently developing strategies that are already close to completion. In addition, several member countries have informal or informal strategies.