Protection of Critical Infrastructure in National Cyber Security Strategies

A group of eighty six nations has published National Cyber Security Strategies (NCSS). The NCSSs present similarities in basic concepts, in the identification of cyber threats and in the delimitation of strategic objectives. The present article analyzes and compares the NCSSs in respect to the similarities shown within the scope of protection of critical infrastructures (CI). The convergence points identified in the article are: the protection of CIs as a strategic objective; the definition of what constitutes a CI; the services and facilities deemed CI; the existence of a national CI protection program; the need to congregate public and private stakeholders; and the need to build resilience into CI systems. The conclusion points out the countries that have shown through their NCSSs interest in international cooperation for the protection of CIs. This can be achieved by means of joint training, information exchange on threats and incidents against CIs, and in the medium term, the regulation of the use of cyber weapons against CIs.