A comparative analysis of critical infrastructure cyber security policies: best practices from the US, EU and Turkey

Abstract

Critical infrastructures are the physical and virtual systems forming the basis of modern societies and they are essential in ensuring national prosperity. Even though the importance of such infrastructures could not be grasped by states and international organizations in the beginning, an increasing number of cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure systems is becoming the reason behind the acceleration of the engagement of critical infrastructure protection as an agenda item as seen in the United States and the European Union. In Turkey, the field of critical infrastructure policy is still in its infancy. This thesis compares the developments of critical infrastructure security in the United States, the European Union and Turkey through an investigation of definitional, legal, institutional and economic practices relating to critical infrastructure. While doing so, this thesis aims to reveal Turkey's current status in the field of critical infrastructure protection. In this regard, this thesis also analyzes how successful critical infrastructure security policies have been in Turkey. According to the findings of this thesis, Turkey is far behind the United States and the European Union in the field as a result of institutional and legal gaps that prevent the development of infrastructure protection. The policy initiatives which Turkey has to pursue are also discussed in the thesis.