Frequently Asked Questions
Country Pages
• My country’s position in the index has varied over time. How is this explained?
NCSI being a live index, being continuously updated. As such, any changes in a country’s ranking are due to that specific country’s update or another one’s, that has impacted the former’s position.
• When was this country’s data last updated?
Each country page indicates when it was last updated. See the example of the screenshot:
• My country has the criteria for a specific indicator, but the evidence is not publicly available. Can this evidence be taken into account?
The NCSI is an index that is based on publicly available information. In the event that an indicator has evidence, but it is not available publicly, no points are awarded to the indicator.
• Why are there a few broken links for evidence in this country page?
Thanks for notifying us of the broken links. While we cannot guarantee the content or status of third-party links, we attempt to keep evidence up to date as best we can.
• I wish to visit Country X. Does the NCSI provide my destination's conditions regarding cyber security?
While our team wishes you a safe and secure trip, the NCSI does not, in any way or capacity, serve as a travel advisory website.
Data
• Is the data in your database real-time?
The NCSI is a live index, in the sense that it is continuously being updated and has no yearly editions. However, since the NCSI links to third party websites and information, the NCSI and eGA are not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of third-party website information.
• What does the data-gathering process look like?
The data-gathering process is pretty straightforward. Either our team or country contributors try to find publicly available evidence online that matches each of the indicator’s criteria and accepted evidence.
• What is the most recent date for data collection?
Each country expressly indicates when their last update was.
• What does it mean that the data is publicly available?
All data that becomes evidence for an indicator must be publicly available, i.e. present on a website that can be easily accessed by anyone. While geolocked websites are not recommended, they are still accepted case-by-case. However, data presented in cloud storage services (e.g. Sharepoint, One Drive, Google Drive, etc.) are not accepted due to their inherent risk.
Data usage
• Are there any restrictions using the NCSI data?
As long as the NCSI is cited, there are no restrictions on the use of the index in research and academia.
• How do you recommend citing your website/the NCSI?
Feel free to cite the NCSI as you would any website under the citation style you require. The author of the NCSI would be the e-Governance Academy or eGA (if you prefer the shorter version due to limits in the word count).
Internships
• Do you take interns? How may I apply for an internship?
Thank you for considering us. Please review eGA’s internship details here: <https://ega.ee/about-us/#internships>.
NCSI: History
• When was the NCSI launched?
The NCSI was launched on 21.05.2016.
• What were the previous versions of the NCSI methodology and what were the changes?
Version 1.0 of the NCSI methodology was active from 05.2016 to 01.2018. Version 2.0 was active from 01.2018 until 02.2019. From 02.2019 until 09.2023, version 2.1 was active. From 12.2023, version 3.0 is active.
Version 2.0 revamped the Index’ indicators. Version 2.1 only adjusted the wording of the criteria of some Indicators of the Index (but did not modify the Index methodology itself). Version 3.0 updated once more the indicators, their order, weight and criteria.