This, in summary, is what is stated in the National Cyber Power Index (NCPI) 2020 by the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.
The study conducted examines the cyber capabilities and willingness to employ of thirty nations, drawing up a ranking at the top of which is the United States, followed at some length by China and the United Kingdom. Only fourth is Russia. Followed by the Netherlands, France, Germany, Canada, Japan and Australia.
Among the top ten nations there are four belonging to the so-called "Five eyes", only New Zealand is further behind, occupying the fifteenth position. Also from a summary analysis it can be seen that three out of ten nations are European, the Netherlands, France and Germany.
One might ask, how was the ranking drawn up? And why a new ranking given that others already exist?
Let's start by answering the first question.
The Belfer Center was founded in 1973 as a US institute, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts with the aim of dealing with international analysis and studies in the field of nuclear and arms control. Its field of action has expanded over the years and today also includes the cyber domain.
With this study - words of Eric Rosenbach * - the Belfer Center team has produced the best model for censoring cyber power (of a State).
The working group, it must be admitted, did an excellent job in identifying the possible national objectives underlying the development and use of cyber power:
1. Surveillance and Monitoring Domestic Groups;
2. Strengthening and Enhancing National Cyber Defenses;
3. Controlling and Manipulating the Information Environment;
4. Foreign Intelligence Collection for National Security;
5. Commercial Gain or Enhancing Domestic Industry Growth;
6. Destroying or Disabling an Adversary's Infrastructure and
Capabilities;
7. Defining International Cyber Norms and Technical Standards.
It then identified the cyber capabilities of the thirty states under consideration and their willingness and ability to use them in order to achieve its goals.
As previously mentioned, there are already other indices that measure cyber power in some way. Among these we have discussed in a previous article of the GCI (Global Cybersecurity Index) of the International Telecommunications Union.
There is a second index that analyzes the maturity of 75 countries in the cyber and digital services sector, the Potomac Institute's Cyber Readiness Index.
The third index, developed by Economic Intelligence Unit & Booz Allen Hamilton, is called the Cyber Power Index and measures the cyber power of the G20 countries but does not include cyber offensive capabilities as it mainly focuses on economic indicators.
In the study, a comparison is made between the different methodologies, which shows the greater precision of the new index. It should be noted that both in the GCI of the ITU and in the CPI the United Kingdom was in first place, a position occupied by the United States in the new index.
Very interesting to note that according to the NCPI, although the primacy in the cyber sector is generally attributed to the United States, China is indicated as the nation with the highest score in relation to the "Intent" which is defined as:
"measurement of the quality and quantity of government planning initiatives (ie national cyber security strategies, crisis plans, and other related government planning documents). It is a subjective assessment of the government's" observed behavior "on cyber relevant issues".
This is in line with the general US narrative which describes China as an extremely aggressive nation in all fields.
Ultimately, the study is very interesting and should be deepened, especially in relation to the fact that Italy is in the twenty-ninth position out of thirty countries!
* Eric Rosenbach is Co-Director of the Belfer Center and Former Chief of Staff and Assistant Secretary for the US Department of Defense
To learn more:
- https://www.belfercenter.org/publication/national-cyber-power-index-2020/
- https://www.difesaonline.it/evidenza/cyber/global-cybersecurity-index-20...
- https://www.itu.int/pub/D-STR-GCI.01-2018
- https://www.potomacinstitute.org/images/CRIndex2.0.pdf
- https://www.smartdatacollective.com/cyber-power-index/
