From space to law: a five-layer construction of cyber governance

Abstract Existing models of cyberspace often focus excessively on the technical dimension, failing to systematically integrate the interconnections between network phenomena, security risks, and cyber governance. To bridge this gap, this paper constructs a five-layer analytical framework that deconstructs cyberspace into interconnected geographical, physical, code, information, and social layers, and sequentially conducts a “phenomenon-risk-law” analysis for each layer. Specifically, based on authoritative industry reports, this paper dissects the primary risk phenomena at each level, ranging from geopolitical and supply chain threats at the foundational layers to data breaches and cognitive manipulation at the abstract layers. It then investigates the corresponding legal and governance challenges, revealing differentiated response strategies through a comparative analysis of regulatory practices in China, the United States, and Europe.