New Age of Autonomy: Mapping Portugal’s Digital Sovereignty
The increasing reliance on technology globally has propelled the concept of sovereignty beyond traditional geographic boundaries, making digital sovereignty a crucial national security and economic priority.
Based on an in-depth analysis of some of the key dimensions that outline the Portuguese digital sovereignty, Art Resilia created a strategic study, laying bare the current state of Portuguese digital sovereignty. This study serves as a necessary strategic alert, aiming to foster dialogue with the public and national organizations to formulate strategies that increase digital independence from third parties.
Defining Sovereignty in the Digital Realm
Digital sovereignty must be interpreted as a right of a country, government, or organization to exercise domain over its data, information, digital infrastructures, technologies, and processes. This domain must ensure autonomy, security, and compliance with national laws and values.
The study interprets digital sovereignty as involving control over technology throughout its entire lifecycle, including development, specification, production, and operation.
While the concept does not advocate for technological isolation, it promotes strategic autonomy, security, and prosperity in the 21st century. Its relevance is highlighted by its necessity for:
- National Security, protecting against espionage and loss of confidential information.
- Privacy of Citizens, strengthening individual control over personal data processing.
- Economic Autonomy, reducing dependence on large technological multinationals.
Mapping the Dimensions of Digital Sovereignty
To assess Portugal’s capacity for independent digital operation, the analysis utilized a representative sample of Portuguese cyberspace. Among the various digital sovereignty dimensions, three were chosen to drive the study: Technological Independence, Digital Infrastructures, and Cybersecurity, Cyber Defense, and Cyber Resilience.
The research analyzed a representative sample of Portuguese cyberspace, encompassing approximately 215 692 hosts exposed to the Internet and 129 747 domains under the .pt TLD. The findings regarding technological independence revealed a critical lack of national infrastructure.
The 5% Problem: Technological Independence
- Only 5% of the infrastructure supporting digital assets is located in Portugal. This signifies that the remaining infrastructure is subject to foreign legislation and influences.
- 75% of assets are hosted within the European Union cyberspace. This environment is considered a “friendly control” due to the Portuguese legal framework being intimately linked to EU harmonization.
Favorable Trend: E-mail Services
E-mail services, which are now vital platforms for knowledge sharing and procedural control, show a more favorable trend: 55% of e-mail infrastructure is associated with Portuguese data centres or cyberspace.
Legal Control over Critical Infrastructures
The study identified 65 organizations deemed digital critical infrastructures (ISPs and data centres). The control over these critical digital infrastructures is characterized as the study’s most robust attribute. The overwhelming majority of headquarters and shareholders are located in Portugal or the EU.
The Path Forward: Strategic Resilience
Moving forward, sustained reflection on these findings is required to strengthen control over data and critical infrastructure, thereby ensuring technical and legal resilience in cyberspace. Portugal, while aligned with most EU countries, must dedicate resources to implementing the necessary European norms, the pace of which is currently constrained by limitations in human, technological, and financial resources. The aim is not isolation, but the collective construction and defense of Portugal’s digital future.
Digital sovereignty is not a future concern; It is a shared national security and economic mandate happening now.
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