Cybersecurity Comparative Guide

1 Legal framework

1.1 Does the law in your jurisdiction distinguish between 'cybersecurity', 'data protection' and 'cybercrime' (jointly referred to as 'cyber')? If so, how are they distinguished or defined?

German law distinguishes between 'cybersecurity', 'data protection' and 'cybercrime'.

'Cybersecurity' can generally be equated with the term 'security of information technology'. According to Section 2(2) of the Act on the Federal Office for Information Security, 'security of information technology' refers to compliance with certain security standards in relation to the availability, integrity or confidentiality of information, by means of both security precautions:

• in IT systems, components and processes; and