Panorama institucional de la gobernanza de la ciberseguridad en España

Abstract

Securing cyberspace is a complex task and an ongoing challenge for public institutions. The first wave of political disinterest in cybersecurity has been followed by a renewed concern for digital sovereignty, the defence of national cybersecurity and, more recently, the protection of citizens in cyberspace. States have developed regulations, institutions and practices based on different narratives to meet these objectives. This study analyses the institutions involved in the governance of cybersecurity in Spain through four practices: cybersecurity culture, cyber incident and cyber crisis response, critical infrastructure protection and criminal investigation. The article provides evidence that coincides with the conclusion that Spain has adopted the narrative of multi-stakeholder governance through distributed competences among different actors. This approach contributes to institutional fragmentation and a lack of clarity about the cybersecurity system in Spain. The article ends with proposals for public policies that could contribute to greater unity, coordination and clarity in the cybersecurity governance system.