Plural Policing in Cyberspace: Unveiling Belgium’s Cybersecurity Architecture

Plural Policing in Cyberspace: Unveiling Belgium’s Cybersecurity Architecture The fourth industrial revolution has profoundly reshaped society, impacting law enforcement systems and challenging our understanding of real-world crime in the era of cyberspace. Unlike the traditional independence of police forces and the military, cyberspace disrupts these silos, necessitating unprecedented levels of cooperation. Traditional entities, operating within distinct areas of expertise, judicial frameworks and cultures, now find themselves obligated to form alliances. Additionally, the scale of public-private partnerships in the cybersecurity realm exceeds that observed in other domains. The dynamic landscape of policing cyberspace, involving diverse actors, represents uncharted territory that challenges our preconceived notions. Despite the inherently international nature of cyber threats, this article intentionally narrows its focus to Belgium. Positioned at the epicentre of digital Europe and hosting vital supranational institutions, Belgium becomes an alluring target for cyber threat agents, prompting an exploration of its cybersecurity approach. As such, this article aims to explore the Belgian cybersecurity architecture using an in-depth qualitative approach. Leveraging insights from the Belgian case study, the primary aim is to provide empirical contributions to the broader discourse on cyber governance, thereby addressing the challenges posed to our preconceived notions in the evolving landscape of policing cyberspace.