Cyber Incident Response Capability established in the Republic of Moldova with NATO support

On Wednesday, 21 January 2021, NATO inaugurated a new Cyber Incident Response Capability for the Moldovan Armed Forces. This capability was established with support from the NATO Science for Peace and Security

(SPS) Programme and in cooperation with the NATO Information and Communication Agency (NCIA) through a multi-year project. It will help to minimize any threat resulting from cyber incidents, provide quick and efficient recovery and prevent similar incidents in the future. The inauguration was marked through a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony.

At the event, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană remarked: “NATO and Moldova have been partners for more than 25 years. Our cooperation supports Moldova’s efforts to reform and modernize its defence and security structures and institutions, in full respect of Moldova’s constitutional neutrality.” “The new Cyber Incident Response Capability established with support from the NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme is an excellent example of NATO’s commitment to this partnership, “he added.

Addressing participants from Chisinau, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Moldova, H.E. Victor Gaiciuc, said: “With the finalization of this important project, we took a step forward towards increasing our cyber defense capabilities. The establishment of the Cyber Incident Response Center of the National Army of the Republic of Moldova will increase the Ministry of Defence’s posture and capacity to respond to cyber threats.”

The NATO Information and Communication Agency provided critical technical advice for the design of the cyber laboratory and the supporting physical IT infrastructure. The Agency Chief of Staff Major General Göksel Sevindik pointed out: “We are proud to collaborate with partner nations such as Moldova to prepare them for the cyber challenges they may face in the future. Cyber security is a team sport. We must use our collective knowledge to ensure the security of our Allies and partners.”

This project was tailored to address needs identified by the Moldovan government in close coordination with NATO technical experts. It included dedicated training courses and enhanced human, technical and procedural cyber capabilities to counter threats that may affect the military Computer Information Systems’ functionality, the security of services and critical infrastructure. It was an integral component of NATO’s Defence and Security Related Capacity Building (DCB) Initiative for the Republic of Moldova, to which the NATO Science for Peace Programme has already contributed with two completed projects: one in the field of Women, Peace and Security and one in cyber defence. Through these activities, NATO supported the adoption of Moldova’s first National Action Plan to implement the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in March 2018, and the establishment of a state-of-the-art cyber defence laboratory at the Technical University of Moldova.

“Through practical cooperation, the NATO Science for Peace and Security  Programme contributed to the capacity building of Moldova by providing equipment and specialized training to jointly and effectively address complex threats in the field of cyber defence”, Dr Beten, Senior SPS and Partnership Cooperation Advisor highlighted. Since 1995, the SPS Programme has supported many activities in cooperation with the Republic of Moldova primarily in the fields of cyber defence, defence against biological agents, advanced technologies and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. Through the training of young scientists and other specialized experts, these projects have boosted the capacity, knowledge and skills of researchers in Moldova by fostering scientific networks with their NATO counterparts.

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