Аssessment of the level of cyber protection in organizations of Ukraine and EU countries: comparative analysis and directions for improvement

Abstract

The swift expansion in the volume and intricacy of cyber dangers directly impacts the steadiness of operations for entities across diverse economic spheres. Amidst digital evolution and Ukraine's incorporation into European cyberspace, a comparative assessment of cybersecurity levels with EU nations holds special relevance for pinpointing current deficiencies and frailties. The outcomes of such an examination are crucial for shaping successful governmental and company strategies in cybersecurity and boosting organizational cyber robustness. The goal of this study is to perform a comparative analysis of the cyber defense degree in organizations within Ukraine and European Union member states based on selected metrics and signs, and to support the spheres for its enhancement, considering contemporary global benchmarks and proven methods in the cybersecurity domain. This research employed a set of general scientific and particular methods of cognition that allow for a thorough assessment of the degree of cyber defense within enterprises in Ukraine and EU nations. Specifically, a systematic framework was utilized to view cyber protection as a complete, tiered structure, alongside a contrastive examination to pinpoint shared characteristics and divergences in national cybersecurity frameworks. The content review technique was applied to examine regulatory documents and global benchmarks concerning cyber defense, whilst the metric method enabled gauging the advancement level of organizations' cyber defense mechanisms. Furthermore, aggregation and combination techniques were put to use to construct well-founded findings and determine avenues for enhancing cyber protection. The core of cybersecurity and cyber resilience, contemporary methods for their provision, along with the chief international frameworks for gauging the degree of cyber defense, are examined. Current cyber dangers and their effect on enterprises are investigated. The legal structure of Ukraine and the EU concerning cyber protection is scrutinized, notably NIS2, GDPR, and Ukrainian governing documents, and the extent of their alignment is evaluated. A contrasting examination of the cyber defense standard among organizations in Ukraine and EU nations is performed. The influence of wartime and emergency situations on Ukraine's cybersecurity is estimated. Avenues for boosting the cyber protection of organizations are pinpointed. Actionable guidance is developed for augmenting cyber robustness, employing advanced defense technologies, and aligning with EU norms. The scholarly originality of this research resides in the organization of strategies for the relative evaluation of the cyber protection status of entities in Ukraine and EU member states based on an indicator structure, and in revealing main discrepancies between domestic and European practices.