Cybersecurity Maturity in the Pacific Islands – Informing a Regional CERT Framework

Abstract

Cybersecurity acts as a strong influence on national governments’ security, economic, physical and social interests. A common policy goal of governments is to protect their respective interests by supporting cybersecurity threat and attack response capabilities. Contemporary research addresses the use of multi-national CERT frameworks to improve national cybersecurity capability maturity and resilience, however little research has been conducted into the efficacy of such frameworks with Pacific Island nations. This research employs a qualitative interview technique to develop an inductive model for a regional Pacific Islands CERT framework. The research proposes a Pacific Islands regional model based on a network of affiliated national CERTs that operate independently and reflect their respective national interests, while collaborating on matters of shared interest, supported by regional partners providing targeted assistance to build national and regional cybersecurity capability maturity and resilience.