The Evolution and Intellectual Structure of Cybersecurity Research: A Twenty-Year Bibliometric and Science Mapping Analysis
Year: 2026
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: The rapid digitalization of global society has elevated cybersecurity from a niche technical concern to a fundamental pillar of national and economic security. As cyber threats grow in complexity, understanding the overarching research trajectory, foundational literature, and shifting global dynamics becomes essential for directing future security frameworks. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric and science mapping analysis of cybersecurity research spanning a twenty-year period (2006-2026) to uncover its evolutionary trajectory, intellectual foundations, and emerging frontiers. Utilizing a quantitative bibliometric approach, metadata from nearly 6,000 peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings, and review papers written in English were retrieved primarily from the Scopus database. The findings demonstrate an exponential literature growth (averaging a 25.26% annual growth rate) that transitioned from an early infrastructure-focused exploratory phase (2005-2012) into a highly networked maturity phase (post-2019) peaking at over 1,100 papers annually. Science mapping reveals an intellectual structure built on interconnected technical, behavioral, and sociological pillars, underscoring a critical, modern shift from reactive technical defenses (e.g., cryptography, network security) to human-centric strategies like scam awareness and cybersecurity education. Furthermore, keywords reveal a rapid modern surge (2021-2025) in artificial intelligence footprints, notably in adversarial machine learning, federated learning, and intelligent threat detection. Geographically, while the USA, China, and India maintain volume leadership, a clear democratization of knowledge is evident with the rise of high-output research hubs in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. The field has firmly transitioned into an interdisciplinary domain where technical precision must merge with socio-behavioral and adaptive AI-driven insights. Future research must bridge global geographic imbalances, explore the ethical and societal impacts of AI-driven security tools, and prioritize proactive, anticipatory governance frameworks to secure an increasingly interconnected world.
Language: English
Subfield: Library and Information Sciences
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7224910429