Vol. VI / No. 7 | December 2025
Authors:
Ali A. Wibisono, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of International Security Studies, Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia
Summary
Cyber diplomacy is a critical tool for managing digital opportunities and risks, extending statecraft into the borderless virtual domain. Indonesia’s approach is spearheaded by the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), which focuses on national security and technical capacity, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), which promotes international law and a peaceful cyberspace. Globally, Indonesia supports the UN’s efforts, including the transition to a permanent “Global Mechanism” for dialogue on ICTs in international security. However, the nation faces a strategic gap: despite extensive diplomatic cooperation, including agreements with countries like China focused on capacity building, Indonesia remains a primary target for state-sponsored cyberattacks, such as those attributed to the China-linked Winnti APT. This highlights that “soft” diplomatic closeness has not prevented “hard” cyber aggression. To bridge this gap, the article recommends strategic reforms: deepening multilateral engagement by formally detailing its stance on international cyber law , strengthening the domestic legal framework with a comprehensive Cyber Security Bill , and shifting focus from reactive defense to proactive threat hunting and technical attribution. Ultimately, a “Whole-of-Nation” approach is mandatory to achieve digital sovereignty.
Keywords: Cyber Diplomacy, Digital Sovereignty, Cyber Attribution, Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), Advanced Persistent Threats (APT), Indonesia