Governments worldwide must adopt a more proactive approach to address the risks posed by emerging cyber threats, as emphasized by the United Nations (UN)-affiliated Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 report.
Produced by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN agency focused on digital technology, the report evaluates the strides made by countries in countering cyber threats. It assesses progress across five key areas: legal, technical, organizational, capacity development, and cooperation. The last report was released in 2021.
In a notable addition, this year’s report introduces a tier ranking system, categorizing nations based on their preparedness to combat cyber threats. A total of 46 countries achieved the top Tier 1 ranking, indicating their robust commitment to addressing all five key areas.
“The majority of countries are in the ‘establishing’ (Tier 3) or ‘evolving’ (Tier 4) stages of cybersecurity,” the ITU stated. “The 105 countries in these tiers have significantly expanded their digital services and connectivity, yet they still need to incorporate comprehensive cybersecurity measures.”
The report highlights that globally, nations are increasing their investments and initiatives in cybersecurity. For instance, it revealed that 132 countries now have a national cybersecurity strategy, up from 107 in 2021.
A Need for Continued Progress
Despite these advancements, the prevalence of countries classified under Tier 3 and Tier 4 indicates that more action is necessary, according to the ITU.
“Establishing trust in the digital realm is critical,” remarked ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “The progress reflected in the Global Cybersecurity Index underscores the need for ongoing efforts to ensure that everyone worldwide can safely navigate and manage cyber threats in our increasingly complex digital environment.”
The report underscores the evolving and sophisticated nature of cyber threats facing organizations and countries, particularly highlighting concerns related to government-targeted ransomware attacks, system outages, and breaches impacting essential industries.
“The Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 illustrates significant progress by nations that are enacting crucial legal regulations, developing strategic plans, initiating capacity-building efforts, and fostering cooperative frameworks, especially in enhancing incident response capabilities,” stated Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau.
“ITU’s cybersecurity initiatives and programs are designed to support these national efforts to more effectively address cyber threats, and I hope the advancements highlighted in this index inspire countries to advance their development of secure and trustworthy digital systems.”
From a geographical perspective, the report indicates that Africa has made notable progress in mitigating cyber attacks since the previous report in 2021.
“The world’s least developed countries (LDCs) are also making strides, but they require additional support to continue advancing more rapidly,” the ITU noted.
“The report further indicates that the average LDC has now achieved a cybersecurity status comparable to that of many non-LDC developing countries in 2021. However, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states continue to face challenges related to resources and capacity in their cybersecurity efforts.”