In the digital age, modern societies are globally interconnected and increasingly dependent on ICTs and digital infrastructure. However, this interconnectivity also creates interdependencies, and vulnerabilities to emerging threats that need to be managed at the national, regional and international levels. Enhancing cybersecurity and protecting critical information infrastructures is essential to every nation's security and economic well-being – particularly in the global move towards the digital economy and information society.
At the national level, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility which requires coordinated action for prevention, preparation, response, and incident recovery on the part of government authorities, the private sector and civil society. For this to operate smoothly and to ensure a safe, secure and resilient digital realm a comprehensive framework or strategy is necessary which has to be developed, implemented and executed in a multi-stakeholder approach. This framework is often referred to as National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS) – and is a critical element for any country’s socio-economic security. ITU presents members with a reference guide to help countries create an effective national cybersecurity framework.
FREE ONLINE TRAINING
ITU offers a new free online training: Lifecycle, principles and good practices of national cybersecurity strategy development and implementation.
(English, French, Russian,
Spanish)
This training is designed to prepare national leaders, policymakers, and cybersecurity practitioners from the public and private sectors to think strategically about cybersecurity at the national level. It is organized in four e-learning modules and an online tabletop exercise based on the Guide to Developing a National Cybersecurity Strategy.
ITU reviewing committee will then verify your credentials and grant you access to the
course.
Please follow the links below to participate: Lifecycle, principles and good practices of national cybersecurity strategy development and implementation.
(English, French, Russian)
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GUIDE TO DEVELOPING A NATIONAL CYBERSECURITY STRATEGY
Third edition of the Guide to Developing a National Cybersecurity Strategy
The
NCS Guide has become a widely referenced resource for national leaders and policymakers. As countries iteratively refine their strategies, adoption has surged— from 76 countries in 2018 to around 127 in 2021, and 136 today (according to the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index (https://www.itu.int/gci) – GCI)—underscoring the importance of long-term, strategic planning to guide investments, set priorities, and build capacity across the public sector and the wider digital ecosystem.
What’s new in the 3rd Edition:
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Hands-on implementation: A clearer sequencing, resourcing, and governance guidance.
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Measurement that matters: A stronger emphasis on monitoring, evaluation, and learning loops.
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Resilience by design: Practical safeguards for evolving risk landscape including emerging tech, growing interdependencies, and supply-chain risks.
- Global cooperation: tools to strengthen regional and international collaboration.
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The Guide is available for
download.
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Second edition of the Guide to Developing a National Cybersecurity Strategy
This
Guide aims to provide a useful, flexible and user-friendly framework to set the context of a country’s socio-economic vision and current security posture and to assist policy-makers in the development of a Strategy that takes into consideration a country’s specific situation, cultural and societal values, and that encourages the pursuit of secure, resilient, ICT-enhanced and connected societies.
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The Guide is available for
download.
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The reference guide represents a comprehensive one-stop resource for countries to gain a clear understanding of the purpose and content of a national cybersecurity strategy, as well as actionable guidance for how to develop a strategy of their own. The reference guide further lays out existing practices, relevant models and resources, as well as offers an overview of available assistance from other organizations. An accompanying support tool assists evaluation of the strategy.
Reference Guide and evaluation tool were drafted in a democratic process among partnering organizations.
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