Strengthening information security through public-private partnerships
The transfer of knowledge and experience, effective implementation of awareness-raising campaigns, and the key innovations and advantages of the new NIS2 (Network and Information Security) Directive were the main topics of the second workshop on information security and public-private partnerships organized by NALED in collaboration with TAG International and the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, with support from the British Embassy in Belgrade.
The workshop gathered participants from both sectors, who had the opportunity to hear from British and regional experts about topics such as artificial intelligence in cybersecurity, information sharing, and certification schemes.
Milan Vojvodić, Head of the Regulatory Department for Information Security at the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, emphasized that Serbia is continually advancing in the field of information security, as recognized by the new report from the Global Cybersecurity Index of the International Telecommunication Union, which categorizes the country as a leader, or "model country."
- We are pleased that our efforts in this area are recognized, but further work is necessary to enhance the cyber resilience of society as a whole. In August, we adopted an Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy for the Development of the Information Society and Information Security in Serbia, with contributions from NALED and TAG International, for which we are very grateful," said Vojvodić.
Thomas Wright, Second Secretary at the British Embassy in Belgrade, praised the progress Serbia has made in information security and expressed satisfaction with the collaboration between NALED and the Ministry. He noted that the UK has supported and will continue to support Serbia in the field of information security to strengthen cyber resilience.
Dušan Vasiljević, Director for Competitiveness and Investment at NALED, thanked partners for their collaboration and highlighted that, through joint efforts by NALED and TAG members, a training program and guidelines for information security for small and medium-sized enterprises and local governments have been developed, with publication expected soon.
- NALED pays special attention to information security, particularly due to its increasing global and regional importance in recent years," Vasiljević noted.
The workshop featured two panels. The first panel focused on certification schemes and compliance with the NIS2 Directive, with participants including Sanja Kekić from Women4Cyber, Prof. Dr. Andreja Mihailović from the University of Montenegro, and Branko Džakula from Un1quely. They emphasized that adopting the NIS2 provisions is essential for the further development of the information technology sector, especially given the nearly daily cybersecurity threats.
The second panel addressed public-private partnerships, featuring Milan Vojvodić from the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, Dijana Gligorijević from Telegroup, Jelena Jovanović from the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, and Prof. Dr. Andreja Mihailović, moderated by Ana Milovanović, Regulatory Reform Manager in Digitalization at NALED. One conclusion from this panel was that, in addition to needing more examples of public-private partnerships in Serbia, the establishment of sectoral CERTs is also necessary.
The second day of the workshop was dedicated to a simulation of a cyber attack, where participants faced various ethical dilemmas and made decisions using artificial intelligence to enhance their knowledge and skills in cybersecurity.
