National cybersecurity coordination centre begins operations
The national cybersecurity coordination centre (NCC-CY) is set to begin operations, Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Nicodemos Damianou has announced.
Speaking on CyBC’s morning radio, Damianou said the process of moving all state servers to safe, specially designed storage is also underway. This process will be time-consuming, with the actual physical transfer expected to happen in the last quarter of the year, Damianou noted.
Regarding the outcome of the state report on the flooding of the ministry of finance basement, where the servers had been housed, Damianou expressed dissatisfaction.
The Legal Service, which received the report for evaluation in March ruled that although serious problems attributed to chronic weaknesses and gaps were identified, no personal responsibilities could be attributed.
Announcing the operation of the NCC at Tuesday’s inaugural event, Damianou said it marked an important development in establishing an integrated cybersecurity ecosystem for the country.
The national centre is part of a network of initiatives to protect critical infrastructures and the country’s economy against the ever-increasing threat of cyberattacks, Damianou said.
By 2025, financial losses due to cybercrime are estimated to increase to $10.5 trillion globally, while the global cybersecurity market is estimated to grow to $270 billion by 2026, up from $170 billion in 2020, the deputy minister noted, adding businesses rank cybersecurity among the top four risks for the coming year, according to PwC’s global survey of CEOs.
“The current juncture is of particular importance [due to] the evolution of artificial intelligence [AI], which is expected to [escalate] the frequency and effectiveness of cyberattacks,” the minister continued, explaining that the weak link in any cyber defence chain – the human factor – becomes more vulnerable with the advent of deepfakes and genetic AI.
Cybersecurity is thus a non-negotiable priority for everyone, from public organisations to private businesses and individuals, Damianou emphasised.
The establishment of a horizontal cybersecurity framework for the public sector and its mandatory adoption into the planning of technical projects will boost protection and should be emulated by the wider sector.
As 99 per cent of businesses in Cyprus are small and medium-sized, Damianou said, they will require support in terms of technical upgrading for cyber defence.
“The [NCC] can play an important role in this […] through [various] educational initiatives,” he said.
This need has also been confirmed in a recent Eurobarometer survey, which shows growing concern over the lack of cyber skills and cybersecurity experts across Europe, and hesitancy by businesses in acting, despite consensus that cyber security is a high priority.
The innovation minister further urged small and medium businesses to take advantage of the services offered by the new state organisation.
Financing of €1 million has already been secured for such enterprises through the research and innovation foundation (IdEK/RIF) and additional EU funding will be sourced, the minister assured.
“This is a sector that in the long term becomes a key criterion for sustainability and development for everyone,” the minister said.
