Cyber Chess: Using a New Panel Dataset to Identify Global Patterns in National Cybersecurity-Strategy Adoption

Abstract Over the past two decades, nearly one hundred countries have adopted their first national cybersecurity strategies; however, the timing of these adoptions varies significantly. While a notable increase occurred after 2010, the catalysts behind this surge and the broader motivations driving countries to establish such strategies remain subjects of debate. Existing studies present conflicting arguments, drawing from diverse evidence and often focusing narrowly on specific countries or limited comparative analyses. This study addresses these debates by assembling the first comprehensive dataset, the National Cybersecurity Strategies (NCS) data, which covers the adoption of national cybersecurity strategies by 193 countries from 2000 to 2024. Our findings highlight the pivotal role of international-organization membership—and, to a lesser extent, military alliances and the cyber-threat environment—in driving adoptions. The NCS dataset not only equips researchers and policymakers with a valuable tool to study national cybersecurity strategies but also provides broader insights into the dynamics of policy diffusion across diverse issues, facilitating inquiry into broader international-relations questions.