The International Politics of Global Cybersecurity Capacity Building

Vulnerabilities in ICT expose governments to a host of threats, which may be directed at critical infrastructure, government and military resources, and key economic sectors. States’ abilities to protect and defend their economic infrastructures against cyber-based threats perpetrated by both state and non-state actors is key to participation in the global economy, and cybersecurity capacity is a critical component to this capability.

The New America Capstone project examined and identified current challenges in cybersecurity capacity building (CCB) within the context of broader international development efforts. As economies around the globe are increasingly dependent upon information and communications technologies, CCB will become a necessary component of both domestic and foreign policy. The Capstone research team compiled their findings in a paper to serve as a resource for creating policy recommendations and evaluating priorities in international organizations, and among donors and national governments.