Shared Paths to Resilience: Community Agency and the Cyber Commons

Communities and networks share common structures, and cyber resilience is strongest when it builds on community ties and social cohesion. Because the cyber commons rely on shared resources to function and endure, protecting and defending cyberspace is essential. Building resilience requires both the proactive development of robust cybersecurity systems and the use of adaptive—rather than purely reactive—responses when attacks occur. While the cybersecurity landscape is complex, solutions themselves don’t need to be. The key to accelerating the emergence and sustainability of cyber-resilient communities is to design approaches that match the specific needs, contexts, and challenges of individuals and organizations.