PhD student in international relations, Gilan University, Iran.
Abstract
Cyber threats are a global phenomenon that is becoming increasingly complex and influential despite advances in technology and cybersecurity performance. Cybersecurity issues depend on a variety of factors: the growing reliance on information technology for various functions, the behavioral characteristics of political actors that lead to conflict and war, and the vulnerabilities of information technology that disrupt performance. This article addresses this fundamental question: Given the main sources of cyber insecurity in the region, how have states responded to this challenge? Relying on a realistic approach and a descriptive-analytical approach, this paper seeks to confirm the hypothesis that regional governments, as key players, have responded differently to cyber insecurity. At the national level, some states have sought to increase cybersecurity capacity, prioritizing important institutional and administrative changes such as digital defense and integration into military capabilities. At the international level, some countries in the region have also participated in negotiations on international cyber norms, while others in the region are outside the process. The results of this paper are based on several recommendations at the national policy level and also on cyber changes in the region.
