Dependencies and sovereignty

Cybersecurity Map Wednesday, 21. October 2020 12:06

The Swiss economy and society are dependent on a large number of digital infrastructures. These include, in particular, hardware and software solutions such as cloud services or a constantly available network, which are often provided by foreign providers. Citizens and companies can only "manage" these dependencies and only influence them to a limited extent. In order to meet these challenges, policymakers must strengthen resilience, reduce dependencies in critical areas and promote technological independence in functions that are critical for the economy and society.

Challenges

Critical infrastructures: The Swiss economy relies on numerous digital systems such as cloud services, internet protocols and networks, but cannot control them directly. Malfunctions or failures – especially in critical infrastructures – can have serious consequences.
Complexity: The networking and interdependencies of systems are growing rapidly and increasing vulnerability.
Lack of alternatives: It is hardly feasible to develop an independent Swiss ICT industry (information and communication technology) in the short term.

Recommendations for policymakers

Strengthen risk management: Manage critical dependencies that could cause major disruptions to society in the same way as other serious risks (e.g. natural disasters). Include the handling of manufacturers, suppliers and providers of hardware and software solutions in risk management.
Build redundancies to improve resilience or stability in the face of disruptions, crises or attacks.
Promote collaboration with local providers, including Swiss start-ups.
Drive forward European initiatives that address critical dependencies and product liability.

Authors and subject responsibility

Umberto Annino, Microsoft | Daniel Caduff, AWS | Stefan Frei, ETH Zurich | Pascal Lamia, BACS

Review Board