The synergy of physical and cyber defense strengthens the resilience of critical infrastructure facilities
August 30 of this year the 14th meeting of the National Cyber Security Cluster was held on the topic "Synergy of physical and cyber protection at critical infrastructure facilities".
The event was organized by the National Cyber Security Coordination Center under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine together with the US Civilian Research and Development Fund with the support of the US State Department. More than 300 representatives of critical infrastructure facilities, CISA, as well as international organizations from the USA and EU member states joined the discussion.
Cluster participants discussed the current situation in the field of critical infrastructure and the main challenges and threats, taking into account russia's aggression in cyberspace.
"The protection of critical infrastructure has always been a priority for the national cyber security system, and it became especially important during the full-scale military invasion of a terrorist country," said Nataliya Tkachuk, head of the Information and Cyber Security Service of the Staff of the NSDC, opening the meeting.
N. Tkachuk noted that now some objects of the domestic critical infrastructure are captured by the enemy, and together with them - information systems, the management of these objects is forced to cooperate with russian operators and telecommunications providers controlled by the special services of the russian federation.
According to her, these networks are used to carry out cyber-attacks on the infrastructure of both the telecom sector and the energy sector, and in the utility industry not only in Ukraine, but also in EU and NATO countries. "No country in the world has had such experience as Ukraine is experiencing now, unfortunately. Therefore, I am grateful to all partners who help us today to resist cyber threats from the russian federation," said the head of the service.
Iryna Tymoshenko, Head of the Critical Infrastructure Security Service of the Staff of the NSDC, noted that the russian federation has intensified attacks on critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, especially in the energy sector, in particular on nuclear power plants. "We have already survived the seizure of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant by the aggressor. The Zaporizhia NPP has now been seized, and its shelling is intensifying, I. Tymoshenko noted. - This can lead not only to human losses, but also to ecological and man-made disasters that will harm both Ukraine and our partner countries. Therefore, physical as well as cyber protection of such objects requires special attention."
The first secretary of the Permanent Representation of Ukraine to international organizations in Vienna, Oleg Verbovskyi, emphasized the importance of regularly informing the international community about the real situation at the ZNPP. According to him, it is necessary to explain with reason what russia's actions mean from the point of view of nuclear security, to predict what may happen if the station remains under the control of the occupier.
As a result of the meeting, proposals were developed aimed at improving cooperation between the donor community and the state authorities of Ukraine.