Updated version of cybersecurity index to be published in May

News April 22, 2018

The eGA cybersecurity team is preparing a new version of the National Cyber Security Index (NCSI) to be published in May at the Tallinn e-Governance Conference 2018.

The NCSI is a tool for national cybersecurity capacity measurement and capacity building. NCSI measures countries’ preparedness to prevent the realisation of fundamental cyber threats and readiness to manage cyber incidents, crimes and large-scale cyber crises. There are already around 70 countries cybersecurity status quo rated according to the index.

According to Raul Rikk, Programme Director of Cyber Security, the new version of the index will be compatible with the main EU cybersecurity related legislation – eIDAS regulation (electronic identification, authentication and trust services), NIS directive (security of network and information systems), and GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). “The NCSI will measure the implementation of the main aspects of these legal acts. Our goal is to include 100 countries in the index by the time of the conference, including all of the European Union and NATO countries,” said Rikk.

A new website for the index will be launched during the conference on 29-30 May. “The new website will allow monitoring the progress of countries and compare them with each other,” explained Raul Rikk. Moreover, according to Rikk, the NCSI website will be fully mobile and tablet compatible.

Significant aspects of the index:

Focused on national-level cyber capacities
Includes evidence for all positively assessed criteria
Assessment is based on clearly measurable aspects – legislation, organisation, policies, cooperation formats, technologies, etc.
Allows monitoring countries’ progress and comparing countries
Allows comparing countries’ cybersecurity development with their general digital development
Compatible with EU cyber security legislation

The index includes 12 national cyber security capacities, which are organised in three groups: general cybersecurity capacities, baseline capacities, and incident and crisis management capacities. These are measured via a total of 46 evidence-based indicators, which include legislation, established organisations, cooperation formats, academic curricula, drills, etc.

The National Cyber Security Index was launched in 2016 and is financed by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the funds of development cooperation and humanitarian aid. Find out more at www.ncsi.ega.ee.