Cybersecurity protection in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates: A comparative legal-empirical study

Abstract

Cybersecurity threats increasingly test both legal deterrence and institutional readiness, yet the literature offers limited comparative evidence on how these two dimensions jointly affect measurable outcomes. This study addresses that gap through a comparative legal-empirical analysis of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for 2018–2024. Using annual legal, institutional, and enforcement data, it constructs two transparent measures—the Criminal Protection Index (CPI) and the Administrative Capacity Index (ACI)—and relates them to cyber-incident, prosecution, and conviction outcomes. The results show that stronger criminal protection and stronger administrative capacity are each associated with fewer reported incidents and better enforcement performance, while their interaction strengthens deterrence further. The UAE consistently outperforms Jordan, suggesting that legislative reform yields stronger results when supported by coordinated institutions, reporting obligations, audit mechanisms, and response capacity. The study contributes an operational framework for assessing cybersecurity governance and offers policy implications for countries seeking to align legal reform with administrative capability.