SUMMARY Information and communication infrastructure has fundamentally changed the private sector, state and society. The use of cyberspace (e.g. Internet and mobile networks) has brought many advantages and opportunities. However, digital networking also exposes information and communication infrastructure to criminal, intelligence, politico-military or terrorist abuse or functional impairment. Disturbances, manipulation and specific attacks carried out via electronic networks are the risks that an information society entails. It is to be expected that these risks will tend to increase in the future. As the protection of information and communication infrastructure from cyber threats is in Switzerland's national interest, the Federal Council commissioned the national strategy for the protection of Switzerland against cyber risks. The Federal Council is pursuing the following strategic goals:  Early identification of threats and dangers in the cyber field  Improvement of the resilience of critical infrastructure  Effective reduction of cyber risks, especially cyber crime and cyber sabotage This strategy also takes account of several parliamentary proposals calling for stronger measures against cyber risks. Essential basic conditions and prerequisites for reducing cyber risks are and remain acting with personal responsibility, national cooperation between the private and public sector, and cooperation with foreign countries. The mutual exchange of information on a permanent basis is to create transparency and trust. The state should intervene only if public interests are at stake or if acting in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity. Dealing with cyber risks is to be understood as part of an integrated business, production and administration process in which all players from the administrative and technical levels up to top management must be included. An effective approach for handling cyber risks is founded on the principle that a great many existing tasks and responsibilities of authorities, the private sector and the population exhibit cyber-specific aspects. The rationale underlying the national strategy is that every organisational unit, be it political, economic or social, bears responsibility for identifying these cyber aspects, addressing the risks entailed in their particular processes and reducing them insofar as possible. The decentralised structures in the public and private sector are to be strengthened for these tasks, and existing resources and processes are to be used consistently. The ongoing combination of technical and non-technical information is necessary to analyse and assess cyber risks comprehensively in order for it to be possible to disseminate the findings from the investigations. A crisis situation is characterised by a successful attack with considerable consequences and requires a specific form of crisis management from the players involved, including criminal prosecution. Against this background, this strategy proposes a series of concrete measures with seven spheres of action: 3/42