Analysis of Criminal Laws Related to Cybercrimes Against National Security (Such as Cyber Espionage) and Examination of the Challenges of Identifying and Punishing These Crimes
Keywords:
Cybercrimes, Cybersecurity, populist penal policy, Espionage, Cyberspace, Punishment, PreventionAbstract
Security is the most important component of the political authority of states, and cyberspace, even while acknowledging its valuable achievements, violates this essential component. Therefore, the formulation of an effective preventive criminal policy alongside a coherent penal policy against the violation of cybersecurity is so crucial that negligence in this area can expose the criminal justice system to irreparable challenges. Despite the adoption of the International Cybersecurity Document, within the legal systems of many countries, comprehensive sets of laws aimed at countering and combating cybercrimes—which encompass numerous offenses—have been drafted and enacted. The policy in the laws of other countries suggests that criminal and penal policymaking in Iran, particularly in the field of social preventive measures against violations of cybersecurity, can play a significant role. Accordingly, different countries have adopted several security approaches to prevent violations of cybersecurity. Based on the findings of this research, although Iran’s criminal justice system has considered various strategies to strengthen the security foundations of cyber interactions, due to the absence of an appropriate differential policy, it has not yet succeeded in adopting focused and effective social prevention mechanisms to prevent violations of cybersecurity. Moreover, the measures implemented, such as education and the promotion of digital literacy, often possess a non-technical nature.
References
Aghigh, R. H. (2023). Legislative inadequacies of the crime of espionage in the Islamic Penal Code compared to the Penal Code of France. Journal of Scientific Research in Criminal Law and Criminology(22).
Amiriyan Farsani, A. (2020). Public and legal challenges in combating cybercrimes. Journal of Journalism and Communication Law(3).
Ansari Mahyari, A., Khalili Samani, K., Poladian, M., & Ahmadi, M. (2024). Solutions to combat cybercrimes from the perspective of international law. Journal of New Human Sciences Studies in the World(4), 61-80.
Baranlou, A., & Pour Gharamani, B. (2024). The impact of virtual social networks on security crimes. In National Conference on Cyber Defense,
Barzegar, S., & Pour Gharamani, B. (2016). Cyber espionage as a contemporary challenge. In National Conference on Passive Defense in Cyber Space,
Bazvand, V., & Nour, M. (2024). The dual role of computer tools in achieving fraud. Judiciary Legal Journal(122), 9-30.
Borhani, M., & Haj Mohammadi, A. (2019). Comparative study of cyber terrorism in the penal laws of Iran and the USA. Quarterly Journal of Legal Studies(30).
Deh Abadi, M. A., & Ehsan, S. (2020). Principles of criminalization in virtual space with a critical approach to the Computer Crimes Law. Tehran: Jungle Publications.
Di Franco, F. (2018). Analysis of the European R&D priorities in cybersecurity.
Fattahi, M. (2018). Analyzing the material and moral components of computer crimes. Quarterly Research Journal of Law Yar(6).
Ghalevand, K., Karimi Ghahrudi, M. R., & Haji Malamirzaei, H. (2020). The impact of transformative technologies on the regulation of the virtual space of the country. Quarterly Journal of Strategic Studies of NAJA(18).
Ghasemi, V., Hadi, D., & Dadiyar. (2016). Examining the material element of computer crimes and the jurisdiction of courts handling them in Iranian criminal law. International Congress of Islamic Sciences and Humanities,
Heydarian Zarneh, M. R. (2024). Analysis and examination of the components constituting the crime of conspiracy against national security. 6th International Conference on New Studies in Humanities, Educational Sciences, Law, and Social Studies,
Jahanshiri, J., Hosseini, M. R., & Ebrahimi, A. (2015). Explaining the process of preliminary investigations in cyber crimes. Quarterly Journal of Information and Criminal Research(3).
Jaishankar, K. (2011). Cyber Criminology: Exploring Internet Crimes and Criminal Behavior. Boca Raton, CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/b10718
Jalali Farahani, A. H. (2011). Introduction to the criminal procedure of cyber crimes. Tehran: Khorasandi.
Javid Nia, J. (2009). Electronic commerce crimes. Tehran: Khorasandi Publications.
Joks, Y. (2010). Crime and the Internet. Tehran: Police University Publications.
Khosrow Zadeh, A., Sepahri, R. H., & Babaei, H. (2022). The legitimacy of obtaining evidence in virtual space crimes in Iranian criminal law. Quarterly Journal of Comparative Penal Jurisprudence(3).
Lewis, J. A. (2020). Telecom and National Security (commentary).
Merloe, P. (2017). International electoral espionage is political warfare, violating sovereignty & human rights.
Misuraca, G., & Lusoli, W. (2010). Envisioning Digital Europe 2030. European Commission Joint Research Centre Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, Luxembourg, Publications Office of the European Union.
Mohammadi, S., & Kalantari, K. (2024). Prosecution and extradition of cyber criminals in the international criminal system: Challenges and strategies to enhance judicial authority. Quarterly Journal of International Criminal Law(4).
Mozaffari Nia, M. (2025). Cyberpower: Nature, dimensions, components, and global indicators. Monthly Report of Expert Studies of the Islamic Consultative Assembly Research Center(4).
Nishimura, H., Kanoshima, E., & Kono, K. (2019). Advancement in Science and Technology and Human Societies. Science of Societal Safety Living at Times of Risks and Disasters Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2775-9_2
O'Hanlon, M. (2020). Forecasting change in military technology, 2020-2040. Washington D.C.: The Brookings Institution.
Rahimi, Z., & Rashidi, R. (2024). Examining methods for resolving conflicts of laws in Iranian substantive law. Journal of Law and Political Studies(1).
SentinelOne. (2025). What is cyber espionage? Types & examples. Cybersecurity Magazine.
Sobhe Khiz, R. (2015). Legal challenges of cyber crimes in international law and Iranian legal system. Quarterly Journal of Information and Criminal Research(3).
Stuart, B. (2001). Beyond our control? Confronting the Limits of our Legal System in the Age of Cyber Space. The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts London. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/1583.001.0001
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Iman Nezam Eslami; Ehsan Yavari (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.