THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT The fourth industrial revolution—the digital revolution—has, for years, coexisted with times of economic crises and social and political after-effects from which we are still recovering. Therefore, despite the undeniable opportunities and advances the digital world has to offer, many of our citizens are apprehensive and uncertain about all things related to the digital technological disruption. And it is here, in the fight to change that perception, that we in the public administrations must focus our priority efforts. What is at stake is society’s trust in democratic institutions and in our own capacity to face the future in the certainty that we are making progress. In the midst of an era of transformations and of uncertainties, we must offer a solid moral and material horizon, and to this end, it is increasingly essential to have cybersecurity that is equipped for the new times and the new threats. Cybersecurity that is capable of addressing the different challenges, and of doing so with publicprivate cooperation and with the support of a citizenry that is aware of the changing reality and committed to the solutions to these challenges. This National Cybersecurity Strategy, in line with the 2017 National Security Strategy, seeks to contribute to this. And it seeks to do so with a clear goal as its guide: ensuring that these times of changes are not a source of cultural discontent and of economic and labour regression, but, rather, an opportunity to increase Spain’s competitiveness and the well-being of Spaniards, as well as that of our European partners. This work has also taken into account our current geopolitical situation, which makes it more urgent and necessary to build and strengthen the European Union’s strategic autonomy. In all of this, Spain has a lot to say and to contribute. After all, ours is one of the most interconnected countries in the world. It only takes a glance at the daily news to realize how common and how dangerous the cyber threats we are facing really are. From fake news on social networks, to cyber espionage or the funding of terrorism— the digital realm is increasingly influencing and shaping reality. Moreover, other new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, big and smart data, and blockchain are already part of the daily activity of citizens, companies and public administrations. These new technologies have paved the way for ground-breaking instruments to obtain information, generate knowledge, and share data. This influence will grow even further with the current implementation of what is known as 5G for the new connectivity of the internet of things. Being more interconnected and more dependent on said infrastructures will allow us to advance in many important fields, from achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, to combating the effects of climate change.

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