Analysis of Threat Perceptions: NATO and Türkiye's Cyber Terrorism Policies

by Mehmet Emin Erendor

Overview

In 2007, Estonia faced a series of cyberattacks on its cyber infrastructure, which caused widespread damage to the country’s economy, politics, and security. However, despite this series of cyberattacks, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) did not apply Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty due to lack of consensus on applying Article 5 in the Estonian case. Although various approaches have been developed by scholars, there is no common application of international law in the United Nations Charter regarding cyber threats or attacks. Moreover, while there has been no common definition of "cyber terrorism" by the international community, some scholars regard "cyberattacks" as acts of war. There is a paucity of literature dealing with the application of international law on cyber threats. A new Strategic Concept was adopted in 2010. Its most important development was to identify the significance of cyber threats to all NATO member bodies.

When updating its own technology, the organization needs to be ready to defend itself against all kinds of asymmetrical warfare, whether from within or beyond its operational range. However, the terms of Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty were imprecise as to whether cyberattacks can be regarded as a form of threat; for this reason, NATO accepted the case‑by‑case concept on cyber threats/attacks in terms of the application of Article 5 by the Wales Summit in 2014. Despite the fact that the Charter of the United Nations has not been revised, if its articles are broadly evaluated, cyberattacks would be accepted as a threat or use of force against the territorial integrity of a state.

The main purpose of this book is to analyze and evaluate what has been carried out regarding NATO’s operational arrangements and its cyber defense approach and, secondly, to explain this through the lens of Game Theory. Furthermore, it will demonstrate why the web is paramount to NATO’s system‑driven operations, and why it requires a cyber defense arrangement. In particular, the research presented here will analyze Türkiye in this regard. The cyberattack on Estonia in 2007 will be used by way of a case study to explain the development of threat perceptions, risks, international law, cybersecurity policies and application of Game Theory.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032802282
Publisher:	CRC Press
Publication date:	08/11/2025
Series:	Security, Audit and Leadership Series
Pages:	202
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Mehmet Emin Erendor was born in Kilis, Türkiye in 1985. He received his bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the University of Kırıkkale, Türkiye in 2008. He received the master’s degree in International Law: Rights and Responsibilities from the University of Sussex, Brighton in 2011 and the Ph.D. degree in International Relations from the University of Southampton in 2017. From 2017 to 2018, he worked as a Dr. Research Assistant at the University of Çukurova. Since 2018, he has been an Associate Professor with the International Relations Department, Adana Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University. His research interests include cyber security, terrorism, human rights, humanitarian intervention, and international organizations.

Table of Contents

Preface Author Biography List of abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1 CASE STUDY OF CYBER TERRORISM: ESTONIA Chapter 2 THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE CONCEPT OF THREAT AND THE ASSESSMENT OF THE RISK Chapter 3 GAME THEORY Chapter 4 THE CYBER SECURITY POLICY OF NATO Chapter 5 THE CYBER SECURITY POLICY OF TÜRKİYE CONCLUSION References