Gives the reader a detailed account of how cyber-security in Switzerland has evolved over the
years using official documents and a considerable amount of inside knowledge. It focuses on
key ideas institutional arrangements on the publication of strategy papers and importantly
on processes leading up to these strategy documents. The peculiarities of the Swiss political
system which influence the way cyber-security can be designed and practiced in Switzerland are
considered as well as the bigger global influences and driving factors that shaped the Swiss
approach to cyber-security. It shows that throughout the years the most important influence on
the Swiss policy-approach was the international level or rather the developments of a
cyber-security policy in other states. Even though many of the basic ideas about
information-sharing and public-private partnerships were influenced by (amongst others) the US
approach to critical infrastructure protection the peculiarities of the Swiss political system
has led to a particular Swiss solution which is based on the federalist structures and
subsidiary principles characterized by stability and resilience to external shocks in the form
of cyber-incidents. Cybersecurity in Switzerland will be a stimulating read for anybody
interested in cyber-security policy including students researchers analysts and policy
makers. It contains not only specific material on an interesting case but also a wealth of
background information on different variations of cyber-security as well as on
information-sharing and public-private partnerships.
