A high level of network and information security and cybersecurity is important and will contribute to the development of the required market environment and trust, to enable the progress of our society, Minister of Communications and Works, Tasos Mitsopoulos has said.
Addressing the "CYpBER 2013" Conference Oil and Natural Gas, Mitsopoulos said that "today’s cyber threats are persistent, well organized, constantly evolving and often successful."
"The consequences can be serious and wide-ranging. Depending on the target and size of the organization, the financial impact alone can reach millions of euros. Furthermore cybercrime can seriously damage brands, compromise customer confidence, violate compliance mandates, and weaken the ability to generate revenue," he said.
Mitsopoulos, pointed out the need for training, noting that "many times the infrastructure alone is not the weakest element. "Employees and executives who are not adequately trained in security threats appear to be a major security risk," he said.
The Minister said the government of Cyprus is recognising the importance of the effective implementation of a national cyber-security strategy, which has been recently adopted by the Council of Ministers, and since last March we are exercising an intensive implementation phase.
The Ministry of Communications and Works, which has the supervisory role in the Information Society and Cyber security fields in Cyprus, is working with the other competent Ministries of the Republic in security standards in our country.
Recalling that last summer, one of the world’s largest oil and natural gas producers discovered that a virus had infiltrated more than 30,000 of its computer workstations, Mitsopoulos pointed out that "in a country which is an island, where the economy depends heavily on the supply of services and where the successful exploitation of the opportunities from oil and natural gas exploration is evident, a high level of network and information security and cybersecurity is important and will contribute to the development of the required market environment and trust, to enable the progress of our society."
"The active implementation of the national strategy on Cybersecurity shows the government’s will to work closely with all stakeholders and to help all critical sectors, including the energy sector, to lead our society to progress and economic prosperity," he concluded.
