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  • Varieties of International Cyber Strategies (VoICS): Text Analysis of National Cybersecurity Documents

    Dataset thumbnail: Varieties of International Cyber Strategies (VoICS): Text Analysis of National Cybersecurity Documents
    Type:
    Dataset
    Description/Abstract:
    Varieties of International Cyber Strategies (VoICS): Text Analysis of National Cybersecurity Documents is a project that compares and contrasts the three main approaches to conceptualize national cybersecurity strategies (NSS): deterrence, norm-based approach (NBA) and cyber persistence engagement (CPE). Scholars and policymakers have initially conceptualized NSS in terms of deterrence or NBA. More recent academic research has demonstrated that these frameworks are inadequate for cyber space. As a result, Cyber Persistence Engagement (CPE) emerged as a third option. The 1.3 version of the VoICS dataset on National Cybersecurity Strategies focuses on nations in Europe and North America and includes a total of 77 NCS of the states in the North Atlantic Area—NATO allies, EU members and Switzerland—released from 2003 until the end of 2023. It consists of 27 variables, including country and strategy identifiers, EU and NATO membership, their respective accession dates, and total length of the documents. VoICS include eighteen variables representing different measures of relative and absolute weights of the three NSS types—deterrence, NBA and CPE. The 2.1 version of the VoICS dataset consists of 260 documents across the globe released from 2001 to 2025, including the documents listed in the earlier datasets. It consists of 31 variables, including country and strategy identifiers, document issue dates, links to issue date sources, the documents’ full name and whether the document is in English or has been translated. VoICS 2.1 dataset includes eighteen variables representing different measures of relative and absolute weights of the three NSS types—deterrence, NBA and CPE using the latest dictionary of words and phrases. Additionally, the database has two separate datasets. The first one contains information about sub-national strategies issued by specific national agencies such as ministries or departments (e.g. ministry of defense, ministry of information and/ or digitization, ministry of foreign affairs and others), national cybersecurity agencies, and others. The second one includes data about relevant cybersecurity strategy documents issued by various international organizations. Both datasets will be made available later. The text analysis in the VoICS in the 1.0-2.1datasets is based on official NSS documents provided by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence library and ENISA’s interactive map for National Cyber Security Strategies. Both sources rely on voluntary submission from the member states. Unfortunately, some official documents were not available or accessible or were not listed at all. Authors have used various sources and contacts with a variety of cyber attachés in Brussels to determine if any additional strategies were released and to obtain the missing documents. The 18 text analysis variables compare and contrast the extent to which different NCS are associated with a specific strategy. They represent different frequency scores based either on words, phrases, or words and phrases combined. These calculations are associated with either deterrence, NBA, or CPE in each strategy. The authors have generated respective dictionaries for the three strategic ideas through which each of these approaches are operationalized. We have conducted a text analysis using WordStat text analysis software by Provialis ( https://provalisresearch.com/products/content-analysis-software/). Detailed codebooks for VoICS Datasets Versions 1.1 thru 2.1 along with the NSS dictionaries (versions 1.0 thru 2.1) have been included in this collection/ repository. The process of generating dictionary associated with the three cybersecurity approaches involved several steps. First, upon reviewing the literature, the authors generated independently a list of words and phrases associated with each type of cybersecurity strategy. Second, the authors compared their lists to determine the degree of overlap in dictionary. Those words and phrases that included in at least two different lists were reviewed and, if there was consensus, were incorporated in the dictionary. Finally, words and phrases which were identified in only one of lists were once again reviewed and, in case there was a consensus among the authors, these were also included in the dictionary. Third, the lists of words and phrases associated with each NCS were updated on several instances when the authors agreed on the need to update and optimize their content. This project was supported by the University of Cincinnati's undergraduate summer research at the University Honors Program in 2025 and 2026, where UHP Discover students are engaged in full-time summer research with UC faculty mentors in different disciplines across social sciences, humanities education, business, arts, and other disciplines. The authors are grateful for the research assistance and support provided by Nora Meier (2025) and Shifan Rashid (2026). This NSS database provides important insights into how states in Europe, North America and the rest of the world conceptualize their national cybersecurity strategies. It is an excellent tool for researchers and policymakers to study the evolution of strategic thinking around the globe and to explore its different independent and dependent effects.
    Creator/Author:
    Millard, Matthew; Kovac, Igor, and Ivanov, Ivan Dinev
    Submitter:
    Ivan Ivanov
    Date Uploaded:
    05/12/2025
    Date Modified:
    09/03/2026
    Date Created:
    2025-04-18
    License:
    All rights reserved