The System of Cybersecurity in Ukraine: Principles, Actors, Challenges, Accomplishments

Abstract

Perceiving cybersecurity as one of the priority areas of national security is common among both developed and transitional states in today’s globalized and digitized world. This is particularly relevant for the relatively young Independent state of Ukraine, which has during the last years repetitively fallen victim to many instances of high-profile malicious activity in cyberspace, the so-called “cyberattacks”. In response, starting in 2015, a number of policy reforms aimed at developing the system of cybersecurity have begun to be implemented. Based on Ukrainian normative acts, the author attempts to describe the perception of cybersecurity, its defining features, the key principles of its provision, the system of actors that are involved in it, and the directions of sectoral policies, as well as their concrete measures. Furthermore, the article notes down the achievements that have already been reached and underlines the key challenges that are still to be overcome. Finally, the case study of Ukraine allows reaching some generalizations with regard to the approach of a state to establishing the functioning of this area of national security.