The Cyber-Ecosystem Enabling Resilience Through the Comprehensive Approach

Abstract

According to Helbing (Nature 497:51–59, 2013) [14] we are increasingly living in a world which creates ‘hyper-risks’ because of numerous networks and interdependencies. In this ‘hyper-connected world’ with interconnected social/technical/political/economic domains, shocks to regional, national and global systems can have significant security implications. This ‘hyper-connectivity’ characterized by the global pervasiveness of internet and cyber usage has also provided a conduit for threats to national security as described in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC in Comprehensive study on cybercrime, 2013) [34]. Robinson et al. (Cyber-security threat characterization A rapid comparative analysis, 2013: 5) [28] of RAND defines Cyber threats as ‘…those actors or adversaries exhibiting the strategic behaviour and capability to exploit cyberspace in order to harm life, information, operations, the environment and/or property’. The pervasiveness and impact of cyber-security threats has made it a top tier security issue in national risk assessments in the last five years (Robinson et al. in Cyber-security threat characterization A rapid comparative analysis, 2013: viii) [28]. Resilience thereby becomes a key property in the face of such threats. Resilience does not reside purely in cyber security patches and technical solutions but requires a more comprehensive and collaborative approach that embraces the social, organizational, economic, political and technical domains.