Türkiye in the Global Cybersecurity Arena: Strategies in Theory and Practice

Abstract

The threat of malicious actors is a growing fear among all cyberspace stakeholders, particularly states, who are primarily responsible for national security, including the protection of critical infrastructure. Taking into consideration the major cyberattacks of the last three decades and their impacts on international society, a comprehensive strategy is needed to defend cyberspace against malware and to provide a safe and free cyber ecosystem. Türkiye, like many countries, has developed cyber strategies to respond to such threats in the last decade. This paper addresses a set of interrelated cybersecurity issues; central among them is the question, “Is Türkiye’s cybersecurity strategy properly devised to cope with the new security environment in the anarchic world of cyberspace?” Türkiye’s national cybersecurity strategy has undergone several changes since 2013, each representing an attempt to address the evolving cybersecurity landscape. These strategies have been successful in some areas, such as Türkiye’s legal, capacity-building, and organizational structure, but have been less successful in terms of technical measures. This article applies a macro-analysis framework that encompasses both quantitative and qualitative research to analyze Türkiye’s cybersecurity strategies in theory and practice. The findings of this analysis suggest that Türkiye is still vulnerable to a possible major cyber-attack.