Analyzing Cybersecurity and Cybercrime Index
This analysis examines the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI), developed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), alongside the World Cybercrime Index (WCI), created by a research team from the University of Oxford.
5/8/20241 min read
World Cybercrime Index and Global Cybersecurity Index
This graph comparing the World Cybercrime Index (WCI) and the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) illustrates some key insights about cybercrime prevalence and cybersecurity readiness across nations.
Inverse relationship not universal:
Countries like Ukraine (UA) and Russia (RU) show high WCI scores (indicating high cybercrime prevalence) but relatively low GCI scores (suggesting limited cybersecurity preparedness). This indicates a potential vulnerability due to insufficient cybersecurity measures.Well-prepared nations can still face cybercrime:
The United States (US), despite a strong cybersecurity infrastructure (high GCI), still experiences a significant cybercrime presence. This reflects that cybercrime can target well-prepared nations due to economic incentives or geopolitical tensions.Effectiveness of cybersecurity measures:
Countries having relatively moderate-to-high GCI scores and comparatively low WCI scores, could indicate that effective cybersecurity policies and preparedness might mitigate cybercrime significantly.Regional differences:
There's a noticeable variance among nations in different tiers, highlighting that investment in cybersecurity (as indicated by GCI Tiers) generally correlates with lower cybercrime, but external factors like geopolitical conditions also heavily influence cybercrime levels.
In essence, this visualization emphasizes that while robust cybersecurity measures are crucial, comprehensive approaches addressing socioeconomic, political, and regional factors are also essential to effectively control cybercrime. While this analysis is from 2020 / 2021, a review of Tiers, the current approach to grouping countries in the 2024 Global Cybersecurity Index indicates that there is not too much change in country GCI position. It would also be worth refreshing WCI periodically to get a more well rounded view of investments required in Cybersecurity.
Citations and References
World Cybersecurity Index Citation: Bruce M, Lusthaus J, Kashyap R, Phair N, Varese F (2024) Mapping the global geography of cybercrime with the World Cybercrime Index. PLoS ONE 19(4): e0297312. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297312
International Telecommunication Union, Global Cybersecurity Index 2020
International Telecommunication Union, Global Cybersecurity Index 2024