Skip to content

SEEDIG 2017 | Programme details

24–25 May 2017 | Ohrid

Cybersecurity: National and regional priorities and cooperation

16.00 – 17.30 | 25 May

Teaser

Is cybersecurity on the national agendas? What are the cybersecurity priorities, and what should be? Are there implementable action plans and a multistakeholder processes? What is the level of regional cooperation (and why is it low)?

Key words

Cyber-risks, data protection, legal framework, user awareness, child protection, cybersecurity, critical infrastructure,  strategy, cooperation, multistakeholder process

Session description

The session will build upon discussions from SEEDIG 2016, which explored the roles of stakeholders, and look into (the existence of) specific strategic priorities and implementable action plans on national levels, as well as on the level and format of regional cooperation.

It will consist of two angles:

Angle 1: Strategic priorities

  • What are and what should be the strategic priorities in various countries?
  • Do they feature human rights, the Internet of Things, critical infrastructure, awareness, conflict prevention, and public-private partnerships and how (should they)?
  • Are there implementable strategies and action plans, based on inclusiveness of stakeholders?

 

Angle 2: Cooperation across stakeholders and among countries

  • Is there cooperation among stakeholders and among countries in the region already in these main fields?
  • What can be documented as good practices in the region, what are the main obstacles, and how to improve cooperation
  • Which is the countries/governments cybersecurity’ priority level? And do they allocate enough financial resources for this?

The session will use concrete examples of cyber-threats and cyber-attacks, such as the WannaCry ransomware and DDoS attacks,  as basis for discussion.

Session format

Following the successful session in 2016, this session will again be very interactive, based on strong moderation, and facilitated by exchange of experiences and opinions among the participants. It will include:

  • Strong moderation
  • Several commenters/resource persons
  • Involving opinion polls
  • Facilitating inputs from all participants
  • Addressing commenters/resource persons only occasionally for reflections/comments
  • Engaging online participants to the largest possible extent
Main roles

Resource persons:

  • Bogdan Manolea, Association for Technology and Internet, Romania (tbc)
  • Gergana Petrova, RIPE Network Coordination Centre (tbc)
  • Milan Sekuloski, DCAF-Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, Serbia (tbc)
  • Predrag Tasevski, Cybersecurity.mk, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (tbc)

Moderator: Vladimir Radunović, DiploFoundation, Serbia

Online moderator: Su Sonia Herring, European Institute, Turkey

Rapporteurs:

  • Cătălin Vrabie, National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, Romania
  • Vladimer Svanadze, Internet Development Initiative, Georgia
Session messages
  • Cybersecurity is a complex area. It related firstly to the vulnerabilities of an operating system; but even if vulnerabilities are known, not many users pay attention to them or to the need to update their systems. Users are, usually, the weakest link. And ‘ignorance seems to be our new best friend!’.
  • The software industry should be more responsible when it comes to embedding security features into their products. But the human factor is equally important.
  • The most important words that we should keep in mind when it comes to cybersecurity are education, awareness, and a good security strategy.
  • Cybersecurity laws and strategies are adopted completely different from one country to another, unfortunately. One solution to this challenge might rest in engaging different stakeholders in high level discussions, asking them to synchronise their policies.
Resources

1. ‘Cybersecurity cooperation in the Western Balkans’, DiploFoundation and DCAF (PDF and Executive summary)

2. ‘Towards a secure cyberspace via regional cooperation’, DiploFoundation and the GIP (PDF)

3. ‘Cybersecurity competence building trends in OECD countries’, DiploFoundation (PDF and Executive summary)

Relevant proposals

(32), (49), (50), (52), (56), (59), (61), 60, 62, 64, (67) – See full list of proposals

Organising team
  • Vladimir Radunović, DiploFoundation, Serbia (focal point)
  • Radoslav Rizov, Microsoft Bulgaria (focal point)
  • Aleksandar Acev, Agency for Electronic Communications, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
  • Zvezdan Arsovski, Vip, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
  • Nertil Berdufi, Hena e Plote ‘Beder’ University, Albania
  • Tome Bogdanov,  Makedonski Telekom AD Skopje, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
  • Fotjon Kosta, Ministry of Energy and Industry, Albania
  • Adriana Minović, Net TV Plus, Serbia
  • Valentina Pellizzer, One World Platform, Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Vladimer Svanadze, Internet Development Initiative, Georgia
  • Contact points from SEEDIG’s executive committee: Aida Mahmutović, Dušan Stojičević