Comparing Cybersecurity in NATO and CSTO: Legal and Political Aspects

Abstract

We compare cybersecurity policies of two international organizations, NATO and Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The countries of these organizations have a common cultural and historical basis. Given the principles of collective defense and collective security, both organizations strive to protect and integrate their traditionally own historical space. Both organizations move through the military cooperation to create a political union. Both organizations have a leader country. As cases for comparison, we choose organizations consisting of countries with completely different political regimes and, accordingly, different approaches to cybersecurity. In accordance with the Index of Democracy, most of the CSTO countries are states with a transitional regime, while NATO countries belong to democracies or countries with imperfect democracy. The countries have very specific legislation regulating the cyberspace. We use two levels (legal and practical) to analyze cyber strategies, institutions and experience (policies) of two organizations. We analyze the priorities mentioned in cyber strategies as well as terms, goals, and bodies in charge. First of all, we provide deep and comprehensive literature review on cybersecurity. The latter is performed on the following aspects of international cybersecurity: theoretical, legal, activities of international organizations, as well as NATO and CSTO positions on these issues. At the same time the study would be incomplete without understanding of implementation of the cybersecurity strategies. One of the ways to evaluate cyberpolicy effectiveness is based on comparison of countries’ positions in global rankings (e.g. ITU Global Cybersecurity Index). In addition the research considers official statistics data, experts’ surveys, public opinion polls and media publications.