Amid the war in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion, cyber warfare has become one of the more closely watched developments by the international community. Ukrainian military intelligence have claimed Moscow was planning cyberattacks on its energy sector as well as those in neighboring Poland and the Baltic states.
If true, it would not be the first time Russia took aim at Ukraine in the cyber warfare space. From 2015 to 2017, Russia engaged in a series of cyberattacks against Ukraine, including one that disabled three power grids in the west of the country. While Russian cyber attacks against Ukraine have been in the news, other countries engage or at least develop their cyber power.
“States continue to expand their capabilities to achieve multiple objectives in Cyberspace,” said the authors of the National Cyber Power Index 2022 from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. This year’s report updates the first Cyber Power Index released in 2020, and it expands the scope of what is used to measure a country’s cyber capabilities.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed the National Cyber Power Index 2022 report to find how 30 countries rank in cyber power. The index consists of 29 indicators, including attributed cyber attacks, data protection laws, technical standards and internet governance, cyber research, cyber crime and enforcement, and more, using publicly available knowledge of cyber capabilities.
These indicators are evaluated across eight objectives: financial, surveillance, intelligence, commerce, defense, information control, destructive, and norms. These measure a wide range of a country’s intent and capability in cyber warfare and defense to a country’s influence in establishing international norms and technical standards. Additional data came from the World Bank. (Also see, regions of the world where military power is concentrated.)
Since the index’s 2020 release, Russia moved into third place, after the United States and China, knocking the United Kingdom down a notch. Russia moved up thanks to its efforts in using cyber technology for commercial gains and for destructive capabilities.
Russia’s adversary, Ukraine, climbed from 29th place in 2020 to 12th place in 2022, driven by increases in cyber defense, intelligence, and destructiveness. Iran joined the top 10 cyber superpowers this year, climbing from 22nd place in the less comprehensive 2020 report.
Countries often hide their true cyber capabilities, “particularly destructive, defensive and espionage capabilities and their reliance on domestic national security structures,” the report notes. “We suspect this is the case for most states in relation to covert or military capabilities, but specifically for China, Israel, Iran, and North Korea.”
Among the 30 to cyber superpowers, the top-ranking objective of seven nations is surveillance. The top-ranking cyber objectives in the United States are intelligence gathering, destructiveness, control of the information environment, and establishing norms and technical standards. (The U.S. ranks No. 1 in many military powers. See, this is the country with the most nuclear weapons.)
Here are the world’s 30 cyber superpowers.
Click here to read our detailed methodology.
30. Brazil
> Total cyber power index score: 4.4
> Highest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #21
> Lowest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #30
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 81.3%
> High tech exports, 2020: $9.4 billion, 11.4% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $7,519
> Population, 2021: 213,993,441
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29. Lithuania
> Total cyber power index score: 5.3
> Highest ranked objective(s): defense, norms, financial – rank #25
> Lowest ranked objective(s): control, commercial – rank #28
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 83.1%
> High tech exports, 2020: $2.5 billion, 12.0% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $23,433
> Population, 2021: 2,795,321
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28. Malaysia
> Total cyber power index score: 6.0
> Highest ranked objective(s): norms – rank #10
> Lowest ranked objective(s): control, destructiveness – rank #30
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 89.6%
> High tech exports, 2020: $86.9 billion, 53.8% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $11,371
> Population, 2021: 32,776,195
27. Italy
> Total cyber power index score: 6.6
> Highest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #16
> Lowest ranked objective(s): surveillance, norms – rank #28
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 70.5%
> High tech exports, 2020: $32.5 billion, 9.0% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $35,551
> Population, 2021: 59,066,225
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26. India
> Total cyber power index score: 6.6
> Highest ranked objective(s): norms – rank #19
> Lowest ranked objective(s): control – rank #29
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 43.0%
> High tech exports, 2020: $23.5 billion, 11.0% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $2,277
> Population, 2021: 1,393,409,033
25. Estonia
> Total cyber power index score: 8.1
> Highest ranked objective(s): defense – rank #12
> Lowest ranked objective(s): intelligence, commercial – rank #26
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 89.1%
> High tech exports, 2020: $1.7 billion, 20.4% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $27,281
> Population, 2021: 1,329,254
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24. Egypt
> Total cyber power index score: 8.4
> Highest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #6
> Lowest ranked objective(s): commercial – rank #30
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 71.9%
> High tech exports, 2020: $323.9 million, 2.7% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $3,876
> Population, 2021: 104,258,327
23. Turkiye (Turkey)
> Total cyber power index score: 8.5
> Highest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #9
> Lowest ranked objective(s): destructive – rank #25
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 77.7%
> High tech exports, 2020: $4.3 billion, 3.2% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $9,587
> Population, 2021: 85,042,736
22. Switzerland
> Total cyber power index score: 10.4
> Highest ranked objective(s): defense – rank #9
> Lowest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #25
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 94.2%
> High tech exports, 2020: $29.9 billion, 12.8% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $93,457
> Population, 2021: 8,697,723
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21. Saudi Arabia
> Total cyber power index score: 10.7
> Highest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #5
> Lowest ranked objective(s): destructive – rank #29
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 97.9%
> High tech exports, 2020: $270.6 million, 0.6% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $23,586
> Population, 2021: 35,340,680
20. Sweden
> Total cyber power index score: 10.9
> Highest ranked objective(s): surveillance, commercial – rank #14
> Lowest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #20
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 94.5%
> High tech exports, 2020: $17.4 billion, 15.1% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $60,239
> Population, 2021: 10,415,811
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19. Korea, Dem. People’s Rep. (North Korea)
> Total cyber power index score: 11.0
> Highest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #2
> Lowest ranked objective(s): defense – rank #30
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 0.0%
> High tech exports, 2020: N/A
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $
> Population, 2021: 25,887,045
18. New Zealand
> Total cyber power index score: 11.9
> Highest ranked objective(s): intelligence – rank #11
> Lowest ranked objective(s): destructive – rank #26
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 91.5%
> High tech exports, 2020: $572.7 million, 10.1% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $48,802
> Population, 2021: 5,122,600
17. Singapore
> Total cyber power index score: 12.0
> Highest ranked objective(s): norms – rank #3
> Lowest ranked objective(s): control – rank #22
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 92.0%
> High tech exports, 2020: $150.0 billion, 55.5% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $72,794
> Population, 2021: 5,453,566
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16. Israel
> Total cyber power index score: 12.2
> Highest ranked objective(s): intelligence – rank #6
> Lowest ranked objective(s): norms – rank #21
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 90.1%
> High tech exports, 2020: $12.6 billion, 28.2% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $51,430
> Population, 2021: 9,364,000
15. Japan
> Total cyber power index score: 12.5
> Highest ranked objective(s): commercial – rank #6
> Lowest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #22
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 90.2%
> High tech exports, 2020: $103.9 billion, 18.6% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $39,285
> Population, 2021: 125,681,593
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14. Spain
> Total cyber power index score: 12.8
> Highest ranked objective(s): intelligence, destructiveness – rank #12
> Lowest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #23
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 93.2%
> High tech exports, 2020: $15.0 billion, 7.8% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $30,116
> Population, 2021: 47,326,687
13. Canada
> Total cyber power index score: 13.4
> Highest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #7
> Lowest ranked objective(s): norms – rank #23
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 97.0%
> High tech exports, 2020: $31.5 billion, 15.3% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $52,051
> Population, 2021: 38,246,108
12. Ukraine
> Total cyber power index score: 13.5
> Highest ranked objective(s): defense – rank #2
> Lowest ranked objective(s): intelligence, destructiveness – rank #23
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 75.0%
> High tech exports, 2020: $1.2 billion, 5.9% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $4,836
> Population, 2021: 43,814,581
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11. Germany
> Total cyber power index score: 14.7
> Highest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #5
> Lowest ranked objective(s): intelligence – rank #15
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 89.8%
> High tech exports, 2020: $208.1 billion, 15.5% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $50,802
> Population, 2021: 83,129,285
10. Iran
> Total cyber power index score: 15.2
> Highest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #3
> Lowest ranked objective(s): defense, norms – rank #26
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 84.1%
> High tech exports, 2020: N/A
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $2,757
> Population, 2021: 85,028,760
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9. France
> Total cyber power index score: 15.4
> Highest ranked objective(s): defense – rank #4
> Lowest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #20
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 84.8%
> High tech exports, 2020: $120.5 billion, 23.1% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $43,519
> Population, 2021: 67,499,343
8. Vietnam
> Total cyber power index score: 15.7
> Highest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #2
> Lowest ranked objective(s): defense – rank #29
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 70.3%
> High tech exports, 2020: $90.4 billion, 41.7% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $3,694
> Population, 2021: 98,168,829
7. Korea, Rep. (South Korea)
> Total cyber power index score: 15.8
> Highest ranked objective(s): commercial – rank #5
> Lowest ranked objective(s): defense – rank #22
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 96.5%
> High tech exports, 2020: $153.5 billion, 35.7% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $34,758
> Population, 2021: 51,744,876
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6. Netherlands
> Total cyber power index score: 17.0
> Highest ranked objective(s): intelligence, norms – rank #5
> Lowest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #17
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 91.3%
> High tech exports, 2020: $87.0 billion, 23.1% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $58,061
> Population, 2021: 17,533,405
5. Australia
> Total cyber power index score: 17.8
> Highest ranked objective(s): defense – rank #1
> Lowest ranked objective(s): financial – rank #23
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 89.6%
> High tech exports, 2020: $6.3 billion, 21.5% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $59,934
> Population, 2021: 25,739,256
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4. United Kingdom
> Total cyber power index score: 19.5
> Highest ranked objective(s): norms – rank #2
> Lowest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #29
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 94.8%
> High tech exports, 2020: $76.9 billion, 23.0% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $47,334
> Population, 2021: 67,326,569
3. Russia
> Total cyber power index score: 22.7
> Highest ranked objective(s): control – rank #2
> Lowest ranked objective(s): norms – rank #22
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 85.0%
> High tech exports, 2020: $10.8 billion, 9.2% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $12,173
> Population, 2021: 143,446,060
2. China
> Total cyber power index score: 39.3
> Highest ranked objective(s): surveillance, commercial, financial – rank #1
> Lowest ranked objective(s): defense – rank #21
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 70.4%
> High tech exports, 2020: $715.3 billion, 31.3% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $12,556
> Population, 2021: 1,412,360,000
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1. United States
> Total cyber power index score: 42.9
> Highest ranked objective(s): control, intelligence, destructiveness, norms – rank #1
> Lowest ranked objective(s): surveillance – rank #4
> Pct. population using internet, 2020: 90.9%
> High tech exports, 2020: $153.9 billion, 19.5% of all manufactured exports
> GDP per capita, 2021 (current USD): $69,288
> Population, 2021: 331,893,745
Methodology
To find countries’ cyber power, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs of Harvard Kennedy School’s “National Cyber Power Index 2022,” released September 2022. The study’s authors, Julia Voo, Irfan Hemani, and Daniel Cassidy, constructed the index by evaluating 29 indicators across “eight objectives that states will attempt to achieve in and through cyberspace.” The indicators include attributed cyber attacks, data protection laws, technical standards and internet governance, cyber research, cyber crime and enforcement, and more. The objectives are financial, surveillance, intelligence, commerce, defense, information control, destructive, and norms. The index only covers 30 countries.
We also added data from the World Bank about each country, including 2021, GDP per capita in current U.S. dollars, 2021 population figures, the percentage of the population using the internet as of 2020, and high tech tech exports in current U.S. dollars as well as their percentage of all manufactured exports.
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