Introduction

Abstract

Information and communications technologies (ICTs), in particular the Internet, have been an increasingly important aspect of global social, political and economic life for two decades, and are the backbone of the global information society today Their evolution and development have brought many benefits for individuals, as well as a plethora of public and private institutions and actors; witness the positive impact of social networks on the uprisings in the Arab Spring in 2011, or the increased use of e-commerce across business and individuals. ICTs have also, however, brought the threat of serious cyber-attacks demonstrated in recent years through acts of cyber espionage and cybercrime within the virtual, networked ecosystem that we live in.