Introduction

Abstract

In the past decade, cyber security has consolidated its position as one of the top national security issues of the 21st century: The dynamic interaction between technological vulnerabilities and the possibilities of their political misuse creates a problem space with little stability. Due to enduring uncertainties about the scope and tempo of ongoing socio-technological transformations, an increasing willingness to use disruptive cyber tools in the context of great power rivalry, and significant fragmentation of authority and accountability on different levels, managing cyber insecurities continues to be a most challenging governance issue in contemporary politics.Cyber security is challenging because it is a so-called "wicked problem". Cyber security is "transboundary in nature, occur[s] at multiple levels across sectors, between institutions, and will impact all actors, both public and private, in complex, interconnected, and often highly politicised ways" (Carr and Lesniewska 2020: 392). Wicked problems avoid straightforward definitions and are impossible to solve in simple or final ways because they are composed of many interdependent factors that are often in flux (Rittel and Weber 1973). In addition, involved stakeholders have divergent values, goals, and motivations when it comes to the issue, making it difficult to find solutions that satisfy everyone to a sufficient degree.As a politically relevant problem, cyber security evolves at the intersection between fast-paced technological development, the political and strategic use of these tools by state and non-state actors, and the various attempts by the state and its bureaucracies, society, and the private sector to define appropriate responsibilities, legal boundaries, and acceptable rules of behavior for this space. Our edited volume sheds light on socio-technical uncertainties and political responses. In 16 chapters, we highlight different facets of this problem space, showing how cyber security challenges states, private actors, and civil society in multiple ways because of dynamic, unforeseeable changes arising from the complex interactions between technical and social systems that have mounting political significance.

Need for Digitalisation to Provide Security?

“…One of the main problems in cybersecurity, meaning in terms of digitalisation, is the low stability. 57 Contemporary politics is therefore forced to address the issues and challenges for the purpose of managing cybersecurity. Due to the function of cyber security, its complexity and challenges are transboundary.…”

“…79 The literature showed that a relevant and effective policy setting in terms of cyber security leads to a more fluid sovereignty when the non-state actors, social groups, individuals, or state actors could affect the state stability or the overall stability of the government. 80 On the other side, the practice could be still challenging. Nowadays, the debate on cybersecurity and the cooperation among the states is more cardinal than before, especially with the raising trends of cyberspace militarisation and because of the evidence of cyber-attacks.…”