ITU, the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technology, together with 11 partners from intergovernmental and international organizations, private sector, as well as academia and civil society have published the National Cybersecurity Strategy Guide to assist countries in the development and implementation of national cybersecurity strategies including cyber-preparedness and resilience.
 
The guide assists policy-makers in the development of strategies that take into consideration a country's specific situation, cultural and societal values, and that encourage the pursuit of secure, resilient, ICT-enhanced and connected societies.
 
“This valuable guide to cybersecurity strategies emphasizes ITU's long-standing commitment to supporting its Member States to maximize use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for social and economic development," said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. “As we work together to bring more people online around the globe, it is imperative to implement effective cybersecurity strategies."
 
“Securing digital assets – data and infrastructure - is a critical development challenge," said Sandie Okoro, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the World Bank.  “We are happy to have contributed to this project, and hope that this Guide will contribute to greater participation in the global digital economy for all."
 
Cybersecurity is a foundational element underpinning the achievement of socio-economic objectives of modern economies.
 
It is a complex challenge that encompasses myriad governance, policy, operational, technical and legal issues. This guide addresses, organizes and prioritizes many of these areas based on existing and well-recognized models, frameworks and other references. It focuses on protecting civilian aspects of cyberspace and as such, it highlights the overarching principles and good practices that need to be considered in the process of drafting, developing and managing a National Cybersecurity Strategy.
 
“It is my hope that this guide will spur strategic thinking and help national leaders and policy-makers to develop and implement cybersecurity strategies, and in so doing, enhance confidence and security in the use of ICTs," said Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau. “I would like to express my gratitude to the partners for their invaluable support and commitment in making this project a great success."
 
In authoring the guide, the partners agreed to share their experiences, knowledge and expertise as well as providing references to relevant existing publications to facilitate access to available resources.
 
The guide's partners include: the Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec), the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Deloitte, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre (GCSCC) at University of Oxford, Microsoft, the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre Of Excellence (NATO CCD COE), the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, RAND Europe, the World Bank and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).