Civic Cyber Defence / Resilience: A Review of Approaches

Abstract

Cyber defence / security is a critical component of civic resilience, ensuring the protection and continuity of essential services and infrastructure in the face of cyber threats. As societies become increasingly digital, the potential for cyber attacks on public systems, such as utilities, healthcare, transportation, and government services, grows. These attacks can disrupt daily life, compromise sensitive data, and undermine public trust. But what happens in a national emergency? How is cyber security and disinformation considered from a civic cyber resilience perspective? What are the expectations of citizens in the first 72 hours of a national emergency? The paper will evaluate cyber advice offered to the citizens of a number of European countries. The evaluation will focus on the national advice offered from a technological, legal, and societal perspective. The analysis will focus on the different approaches of six European countries and what can be learned from these different approaches regarding Civic Defence and Resilience.