Ukraine and Poland commit to cybersecurity collaboration.

The Ukrainian State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection, along with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, has announced they have signed a cybersecurity memorandum of understanding with the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Poland. In the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Poland has come to Ukraine’s aid to defend against Russian cyberaggression, and the agreement solidifies this partnership, as well as a commitment to sharing cyberintelligence. Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, stated, “The first world cyberwar is ongoing. Therefore, joining efforts and exchanging practices is a logical step in this area. With Poland, we have not only a common physical border, but also a joint problem in cyberspace, where we experience the same kind of attacks. I am sure that together we will become stronger and more effective.”

Togo at center of cybersecurity in Africa.

The new African Centre for Coordination and Research in Cybersecurity has been established in Lomé, the capital city of Togo, with the goal of unifying the cybersecurity efforts of individual African governments. Quartz notes that cybercrime on the continent is growing exponentially, signaled by a 438% increase in phishing scams in Kenya last quarter and a total of 81 million cyber attacks in three months in Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya combined. Created as a partnership between the Togolese government and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (Uneca), the Centre will allow the countries’ lawmakers, police, and security agencies to share cyber intelligence and monitor malicious cyberactivity. With its National Cybersecurity Agency and a Personal Data Protection Authority, and as one of the few countries to ratify the African Union Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection of 2014, Togo has demonstrated it’s ahead of the curve when it comes to securing African cyberspace. Cina Lawson, Togo’s digital economy and transformation minister, explained, “We aim to become a significant digital hub in Africa. Our partnership model with the private sector is an innovative approach that we want to showcase to inspire other countries for safer cyberspace on the continent.”

Cybersecurity at sea.

The US Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) released a report detailing the challenges posed by the ever-changing threat landscape, and Safety4Sea provides an overview of their findings. The COVID-19 pandemic increased reliance on virtual meeting spaces and platforms, exposing the intel shared via these methods to new potential security threats. Other challenges include the high demand for experienced cybersecurity professionals, insufficient incident reporting requirements (and enforcement capability), a flood of cybersecurity alerts and warnings from multiple agencies, and the unique threat posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs). AMSC recommended the CG Cyber Command and the Office of Port and Facility Compliance implement a unified communication standard for the distribution of cyber alerts. Other suggestions include establishing cybersecurity training for AMSC members, clarifying the role of the Coast Guard in cyberincident response, and developing mitigation strategies for emerging tech like 5G. A revamp of the Coast Guard’s internet portal Homeport 2.0, as well as improved training and a comprehensive user guide, were suggested to make the portal easier to navigate. And regarding UASs, AMSCs recommended the Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security support the development of legislation to provide law enforcement the tools necessary to prosecute cases where maritime infrastructure and assets are at risk.

Source: https://thecyberwire.com/newsletters/policy-briefing/4/162