The topic of strengthening the security of the information and communication technology (ICT) supply chain is one of the priorities of the National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NÚKIB), and indeed the Czech Republic, for the Presidency of the Council of the EU. Yesterday, all EU Member States agreed on the importance of this issue in the Council of the EU. Following the conclusions initiated and negotiated by NÚKIB representatives, steps will now be taken to strengthen the security of ICT supply chains across the EU.
The current geopolitical crisis related to the war in Ukraine clearly demonstrates the gravity of the potential consequences of the strategic dependencies of EU countries on fossil fuels from third countries, such as the Russian Federation. With unanimous adoption of the conclusions, the EU Member States agreed on the need to avoid similar serious strategic dependencies in relation to ICT, which will form the digital backbone of our society. "This is a great success for our Agency and our country in the context of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU. We are glad that the whole Union understands the need to learn from the current situation and that we want to work together on our cybersecurity," said Lukáš Kintr, Director of NÚKIB.
Experience with incidents, such as Solarwinds and NotPetya, has revealed that cyberattacks through the supply chain can have a widespread negative impact on our society and economy. It can be assumed that the occurrence of such attacks is highly likely to increase in the future. This growing threat needs to be actively addressed and prepared for, not only at national but also at European level. The conclusions therefore come with a range of measures to address this threat with other EU Member States in unison.
Concrete steps include the creation of an ICT Toolbox inspired by the 5G Toolbox, the development of methodological guidance on how to include cybersecurity aspects in the public procurement process and exploring of possibilities of financing the replacement of high-risk technologies.
You can also read about the conclusions of the Council of the EU here: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/10/17/the-council-agrees-to-strengthen-the-security-of-ict-supply-chains/.
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