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US remains the world’s dominant power in cyberspace but China is catching up, report says
- The IISS report assessed 15 countries’ core intelligence powers, leadership in global cyberspace affairs, security and resilience as well as offensive capabilities
- US has been building dominance in cyberspace since the 1990s, and its power has been amplified by intelligence-sharing networks such as the Five Eyes alliance
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The United States remains the world’s pre-eminent cyber power and is likely to retain that position ahead of China at least until 2030 with the help of similarly advanced Western allies, according to a new report by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS).
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Although China has made significant progress bolstering its cyber capabilities since 2014, it has been “nowhere near enough to close the gap” with the US, said Greg Austin, the lead author of the report titled “Cyber Capabilities and National Power: A Net Assessment”.
The report, released on Monday, assessed 15 countries’ cyber power across seven indicators including core intelligence capabilities, leadership in global cyberspace affairs, security and resilience as well as offensive capabilities.
“The main reason [for US superiority] is the relative standing of the two nations’ digital economies, where the US remains far advanced despite China’s digital progress,” said Austin, a senior fellow with IISS.
Austin noted the US has been building its dominance in cyberspace since the mid-1990s, and its power was amplified by its highly sophisticated intelligence-sharing networks, including with its partners in the Five Eyes alliance.
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The US however should not be complacent about its position, he said: “How it grapples with the growing strength of China’s digital economy will be decisive for the future balance of cyber power.”
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