Cybersecurity depends on how informed citizens are

The National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC) is organizing the second edition of the "Bucharest Cyber Security Conference 2023," an international cybersecurity conference. The first part of the conference took place yesterday, with the second part scheduled for today. According to DNSC:

"The conference at Romexpo is an exceptional gathering of industry experts, thought leaders, decision-makers, and professionals, providing a platform to discuss and address the most pressing concerns facing today's cybersecurity ecosystem. Bucharest Cybersecurity Conference 2023 is organized in partnership with the Employers' Association of the Software and Services Industry (ANIS) and the Romanian Association for Information Security Assurance (ARASEC)."

An informed public can contribute to reducing the impact of cyberattacks when they occur, and the biggest challenge for the National Cyber Security Directorate will likely be for people to become the strong element and not the weak link in national cybersecurity, said Deputy Government Secretary Adrian Ţuţuianu: "Citizens need to be aware of these risks to take the best measures to protect themselves. An informed public can also help reduce the impact of cyberattacks when they occur. I know that, in this regard, the National Cyber Security Directorate has a comprehensive strategy that includes educational and training programs. It is important for entities in all sectors - transportation, industry, education, healthcare, banking, and financial institutions - to support this institution in developing and providing programs for their employees on best practices in cybersecurity. As a government organization still in the process of consolidation, we need qualified personnel in this field, especially. Probably the biggest challenge for the DNSC will be for people to become the strong element and not the weak link in national cybersecurity, and I have every confidence that the institution will succeed in fulfilling this role."

He emphasized that, as an integral part of a complex digital ecosystem, digital technology has brought immeasurable benefits such as robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, the Internet of Things, cloud technology, and the variety of mobile devices used in daily life, supporting productivity and people's well-being. However, the positive aspects also come with less desirable downsides, such as the increase in specific risks, which necessitates the need for education for public and private institutions and citizens: "Informing and raising public awareness about risks is an essential aspect of cybersecurity. It is important for organizations to be informed and educated about existing cyber vulnerabilities and threats, considering the sometimes extremely aggressive actions of state or non-state actors to gain advantages in the cyber space. I say this thinking about the fact that Romania is at the border of a war zone, which places us in a privileged situation in a certain way to detect certain trends and attacks early and share this information with our Euro-Atlantic partners."

Ţuţuianu also discussed the need for qualified cybersecurity professionals, noting that there is a significant global shortage for several reasons: the increasing complexity of technologies, the growing dependency of societies on digital environments, and the expansion of the space where cyberattacks can occur.