The security culture of a global and multileveled cybersecurity

Abstract

This paper seeks to argue for the development of a global and multileveled management of cybersecurity. To do so we first define cybersecurity by situating it within the broader framework of the changing concept of security. To this end we look at the evolution of the security concept, mainly since the end of the Cold War, and its relationship to cybersecurity in today's global affairs. Then we identify the referent object of security, the importance of cyberthreats, and the need for a multileveled management of cybersecurity and cyberthreats. For such a management to be possible and effective, this paper argues that the development of a security culture of multileveled cybersecurity is necessary. To demonstrate how that could happen policy-wise, we briefly look at the current state of international cooperation on cybersecurity and put forward the idea of a framework of multileveled and global cooperation based on a strategy aiming at developing a global security culture of cybersecurity. Moreover, it is suggested that the development of this security culture should be gradual, based on horizontal and vertical multileveled cooperation, by starting with low-politics or non-politically sensitive cybersecurity matters. Such a multileveled framework of cybersecurity, with successful communication lines on and between all levels, may even provide a good platform for cooperation in other domains as well.