Preventive Protection Against Cybersecurity Incidents: A Comparative Legal Analysis of Jordanian and Moroccan Cybersecurity Legislation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35516/Law.2026.15129Keywords:
Cybersecurity Act, Comparative Act, Cybersecurity Governance, National Cybersecurity Authorities, Regulatory Compliance, Incident Response, Critical Infrastructure.Abstract
Objectives: The research examines the institutional cybersecurity bodies in Jordan and Morocco to evaluate their structures, powers, and preventive functions in protecting against cybersecurity incidents.
Methods: A doctrinal legal analysis and a functional comparative method were employed to examine the Cybersecurity Act of Jordan No. 16 of 2019 and the Act of Morocco No. 05-20. Both countries operate within a shared Arab legal environment and utilize a two-tier model of cybersecurity governance. However, Morocco was selected for comparison due to significant differences in its legislative framework. This analysis focuses on five key areas: institutional design, preventive obligations, regulation of service providers, confidentiality, incident response, and enforcement.
Results: Both regimes distinguish between strategic direction and operational coordination while imposing preventive responsibilities on both public and private entities. Jordan's use of delegated regulations is more extensive, offering greater flexibility but necessitating clearer implementation standards. In contrast, Morocco's Act No. 05-20 provides increased legal certainty by explicitly outlining institutional responsibilities, compliance obligations, and penalties. However, both systems could improve by ensuring greater clarity regarding the liability of service providers, establishing stronger safeguards for handling digital evidence, and developing measurable indicators to evaluate institutional preparedness and cybersecurity resilience.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that effective prevention necessitates clear institutional mandates, measurable compliance responsibilities, appropriate sanctions, and coordinated execution. The identified deficiencies advocate for the establishment of an incident-handling manual, clearer accountability for service providers, enhanced transparency, and regular preparedness drills.
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