ITU Unveils Global Cybersecurity Index 2024

Countries around the globe are improving cybersecurity efforts, but stronger actions are needed to meet evolving cyberthreats, according to the Global Cybersecurity Index 2024, released by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

On average, countries have taken more cybersecurity-related actions and improved their cybersecurity commitments since the last index was released in 2021.

Worrisome threats highlighted in the report include ransomware attacks targeting government services and other sectors, cyber breaches affecting core industries, costly system outages, and breaches of privacy for individuals and organizations.

“Building trust in the digital world is paramount," said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, ITU Secretary-General. “The progress seen in the Global Cybersecurity Index is a sign that we must continue to focus efforts to ensure that everyone, everywhere can safely and securely manage cyberthreats in today's increasingly complex digital landscape."

A new assessment with sharper focus

ITU's Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 (GCI 2024) assesses national efforts across five pillars, representing country-level cybersecurity commitments: legal, technical, organizational, capacity development, and cooperation.

GCI 2024 also uses a new five-tier analysis, a shift that allows a greater focus on each country's advances with cybersecurity commitments and resulting impacts.

The report places 46 countries in Tier 1, the highest of the five tiers, reserved for “role modelling" countries that demonstrate a strong commitment in all five cybersecurity pillars.

Most countries are either “establishing" (Tier 3) or “evolving" (Tier 4) in terms of cybersecurity. The 105 countries in these tiers have largely expanded digital services and connectivity but still need to integrate cybersecurity measures.

A "cybercapacity gap" – characterized by limitations in skills, staffing, equipment and funding – was evident in many countries and across all regional groups.

"The Global Cybersecurity Index 2024 shows significant improvements by countries that are implementing essential legal measures, plans, capacity building initiatives, and cooperation frameworks especially in strengthening incident response capabilities," said Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau. "ITU's cybersecurity projects and programmes are supporting those national efforts to more effectively manage cyberthreats, and I hope that the progress demonstrated by this latest index encourages countries to do more in developing secure and trustworthy digital systems and networks."

Regional and national assessments

According to GCI 2024, the Africa region has advanced the most on cybersecurity since 2021. All world regions show improvement since the last report. ​

The world's least developed countries (LDCs) have also started making gains, though they still need support to advance further and faster. GCI 2024 data shows that the average LDC has now reached the same level of cybersecurity status that many of the non-LDC developing countries had in 2021.

Land-locked developing countries (LLDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS) continue to face resource and capacity constraints on cybersecurity efforts.

GCI 2024 includes individual assessments and provides a clear status report and a roadmap of activities to make further progress on cybersecurity.