Helena Raud
Title: ‘Securitization and Governance of Cyberspace – Case study on cyber security policy and public administration capacity in Estonia’
Supervisor: Dr. Ringa Raudla, Senior Research Fellow
Opponent: Raul Rikk, MA
Defense: 7 June 2012
Abstract: The 21st century is the age of technology. The wide use of mobile phones, personal computers was just the beginning. Significant change occurred since individuals, businesses and governments realised that information and communication technologies and the Internet can be an enabler for data exchange and storage providing speed and magnitude never before witnessed. Moreover, information technologies have enabled individuals and businesses to conduct their daily activities remotely, via the Internet. The financial implications of the rise of different options for on-line interaction have been great. Individuals can do their banking on-line, access work information from their homes and even interact with the government through mobile devices or personal computers from wherever they are, whereby creating significant savings in time and money. Businesses have been able to significantly increase efficiency and cut man-power cost due to the use of technologies and introducing on-line services. Governments have come closer to the citizens through the provision of online e-services, creating not just one-way communication from the government towards the people, but allowing the citizens to contact the government from any place at any time. Moreover, due to the nature of the information and communication technologies, that enable this interaction, information and services can be easily provided across borders.
In addition to Internet-based risks associated to provision of e-services by businesses or the state, all of the mentioned services are reliant on provision of communication and energy. Furthermore, information, communication and energy are the basis for the provision of all critical services and the disruption of one of the three key elements would have immediate impact on all others. While the use of different information technology tools has created more efficiency and provided users with more comfortable services, the dependence on technologies has led to the information society becoming prone to new risks arising from neglectful, harmful, or criminal use of the same otherwise enabling technologies. To this end, governments are now actively talking about new challenges concerning borderless cyber security.
Keywords: cyber security, e-governance, Estonia.
