Rational Choice And Cybersecurity

Along the technological development of recent years, cyber threats have become increasingly common. Cyber threats can target both the devices of individuals, but especially critical objectives related to digitized objectives within the national industry, namely power plants, public services, government agencies, health system or vital private services, such as the banking system. Thereby, cyberspace has become an operational space, under the statal authority, in terms of ensuring security. With the expansion of digitalization in more and more application areas, cybersecurity has become a vital aspect of national security, aimed to protect individuals and infrastructures or services of national importance. Due to the increased importance of cybersecurity, the paper starts from the assumption that the state, as a rational actor, is the ultimate agent in terms of ensuring security, and examines the ways in which the state can address cyber threats. In this respect the rational choice theory, represents a topical approach. Namely, the state, as an individual actor, can adopt a rational conduct regarding prevention, response, and recovery after a cyberattack. Rational choice theory can be a good guide for outlining a choice in terms of the existence of two or more alternatives in an environment determined by information volatility.