Introduces the political structure and processes – characterized by “deliberate power diffusion on all levels” – behind the formation of perceptions, narratives, concepts & models, and institutions & initiatives related to cyber-security. Finally, Dunn Cavelty evaluates official Swiss policy documents, technologies, critical infrastructure and their evolution and implementation. The article discusses four framings of cyber-security – as a technical, crime-espionage, civil defense, or military strategic issue – and asserts Switzerland’s efforts are “mainly a combination” of the first three variations, while the military dimension is minimized. The article concludes by describing three distinct phases of Switzerland’s cyber-security policy formulation: the (1) Four-Pillar Model of Information Assurance, 1997-2004, (2) Reporting and Analysis Center for Information Assurance (MELANI), 2004-2010, and (3) Consolidation and Cyber-Risk Strategy, 2011-2014. Lastly, the author argues Switzerland’s policy development is dominated by a “dedicated approach to private-public partnerships.”
