Published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN specialized agency, the Global Cybersecurity Index is one of the world's leading benchmarks for assessing national cybersecurity preparedness. The index evaluates countries across five core pillars: legal measures, technical measures, organizational measures, capacity development, and cooperation. Based on their overall scores, countries are classified into five tiers.
The 2024 report groups countries into five categories: Role-Modeling, Advancing, Establishing, Evolving, and Building. Tier 1, with scores between 95 and 100, includes countries recognized as global cybersecurity leaders, including the US, the UK, Japan, Norway, Türkiye, India, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.
Tier 2, with scores ranging from 85 to 95, comprises leading countries such as Canada, China, Austria, Switzerland, Russia, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Poland, the Philippines, Mexico, the Czech Republic, and Ireland.
Iran is classified in Tier 3, scoring 65.52 out of 100, placing it among countries establishing their cybersecurity infrastructure. This tier covers scores between 55 and 85 and includes 50 countries, among them Iran, New Zealand, Kuwait, Ukraine, Libya, Kyrgyzstan, Senegal, Tunisia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Cuba, and Bulgaria.
Iran's highest score was in legal measures, earning 17.79 out of 20, reflecting the existence of relatively robust laws, regulations, and legal frameworks for addressing cyber threats and protecting cyberspace.
Its second strongest area was organizational measures, with 16.72 out of 20, indicating established governance structures, responsible institutions, national strategies, and organizational planning for cybersecurity.
In technical measures, Iran scored 14.49 out of 20. This category assesses capabilities such as computer security incident response teams (CSIRTs), technical standards, protective systems, and specialized cybersecurity infrastructure. While the score indicates relatively solid performance, it still trails Tier 1 and Tier 2 countries by a significant margin.
Capacity development remains an area for improvement, with a score of 10.27 out of 20. This pillar covers workforce training, research, skills development, public awareness, specialized education, and investment in cybersecurity human capital.
Iran received its lowest score in cooperation, earning just 6.25 out of 20. This indicator measures participation in regional and international cooperation, information sharing, joint agreements, membership in specialized networks, and engagement with global cybersecurity institutions.
The findings indicate that Iran has made meaningful progress in developing legal frameworks and organizational structures. However, improving its global standing will require greater investment in technical infrastructure, specialist training, capacity development, and international cooperation.
As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated and economies, public services, and critical infrastructure grow more dependent on information technology, strengthening cybersecurity is no longer optional but a strategic necessity for safeguarding national security, advancing the digital economy, and enhancing public trust. Improving performance in international cooperation, capacity development, and technical capabilities could position Iran to advance to Tier 2 in future editions of the Global Cybersecurity Index.
NOURNEWS