Digital security gaps threaten foundations of sustainable economic growth

A new study warns that vulnerabilities in digital economy information security could undermine the ambitions of nations pursuing digital transformation to fuel sustainable development. Researchers have conducted one of the most comprehensive assessments to date, mapping provincial-level risks across China’s digital economy from 2019 to 2021. Their findings, published in the journal Sustainability, shed light on how digital threats, uneven infrastructure, and technological disparities are creating hidden fractures in the country’s push toward high-quality, green economic development.

Titled “Addressing the Sustainability Challenges: Digital Economy Information Security Risk Assessment,” the study proposes a multi-layered risk analysis model that merges information ecology theory, game theory, and quantitative analytics. With growing dependency on data-driven ecosystems, the research highlights an urgent need to rethink how digital security is integrated into national sustainability strategies.

How security gaps are emerging in China’s digital economy

The study reveals that information security risks are not uniformly distributed across China. Instead, regional disparities are widening, posing systemic threats to sustainability. Southern provinces exhibit higher levels of digital economic activity but also face disproportionately greater exposure to cyber risk. In contrast, northwestern regions show lower levels of digitalization, offering partial insulation from attacks but limiting their participation in the benefits of digital transformation.

By constructing a risk assessment indicator system rooted in information ecology theory, the researchers calculate a composite security risk score using a hybrid of CRITIC and entropy weighting methods. The analysis is performed across 29 provinces and spans key risk dimensions including infrastructure robustness, technological maturity, digital governance, and behavioral vulnerabilities.

The research finds that information infrastructure quality, particularly in internet connectivity, data management systems, and platform interoperability, is the single most significant factor influencing risk scores. Where infrastructure is advanced but governance is weak, the risk profile intensifies due to overexposure and underpreparedness. Regions with poor connectivity but strong regulation fare slightly better in overall risk balance.

What’s driving the rising threat to digital sustainability?

The study identifies digital criminal behavior as the most prominent and persistent obstacle to sustainable development in the digital economy. The authors show how cybercrime, from data breaches and phishing scams to ransomware and fraudulent financial activity, contributes directly to economic inefficiencies, consumer mistrust, and platform instability.

In addition to external threats, internal technological disparity plays a major role in generating uneven security profiles. Provinces with well-funded digital education systems and tech-driven enterprises tend to adapt quickly to emerging risks. However, those lagging in technological literacy and cybersecurity investment continue to face mounting threats, particularly as e-government platforms and online financial systems become more widespread.

The research employs Ward’s clustering method to identify regional groupings based on similar risk characteristics. These clusters reveal how infrastructure gaps, behavioral risk factors, and regulatory misalignment coalesce to form security bottlenecks. In several provinces, gaps between digital innovation and regulatory response lead to blind spots that malicious actors can exploit.

Moreover, the study emphasizes that without unified national standards and local enforcement mechanisms, cyber resilience efforts will remain fragmented. This fragmentation, the authors argue, poses a significant hurdle to achieving long-term sustainable development goals tied to digital transformation.

What needs to be done to secure the digital future?

To counteract these rising threats, Li and Zhang recommend a series of strategic interventions aimed at national, regional, and institutional levels. First, information infrastructure must be expanded equitably, especially in underdeveloped regions, to reduce asymmetry in digital access and risk exposure. Investment in high-speed internet, cloud-based platforms, and cross-platform data compatibility is essential to reduce structural weaknesses.

Second, the study calls for strengthened digital governance, including proactive threat monitoring, real-time data risk assessments, and cybersecurity law enforcement. Governments must evolve from reactive regulation to anticipatory policy-making, anticipating threat vectors before they materialize at scale.

Third, educational initiatives and public awareness campaigns are critical. Building a culture of cybersecurity literacy, from school systems to local government agencies, can empower users and administrators to identify and mitigate risks before they escalate. Digital criminal behavior thrives in environments where users are untrained and protocols are lax.

The researchers propose that China’s risk assessment framework be adapted internationally, especially in other emerging digital economies where the balance between infrastructure development and cybersecurity readiness remains precarious. The replicability of their indicator system offers a methodological blueprint for countries seeking to align digital expansion with sustainable development principles.