United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Michael J. Murphy addressed BiH public, highlighting what all state institutions, as well as individuals, can do to contribute to improving the cyber security of the state and its critical infrastructure.
“Every October, as Cyber Security Awareness Month, let’s remind ourselves that without a secure cyber environment, even the best designed technologies, digital solutions and software are exposed to risk. As we have seen in the region, including here in BiH, ensuring cyber resistance and eliminating cyber security deficiencies are crucial for the security and success of any country. Cyber attacks on the BiH Parliament and the Central Election Commission (CEC) last month highlighted the danger of this nature to BiH. Now that the elections are over, it’s time for officials at all levels of government to put aside the politics of obstruction and division and do the job voters elected them to do. And this includes protecting the country from cyber attacks,” it was mentioned in Murphy’s message.
He emphasized that there are several activities that the authorities can take immediately to improve the defense of BiH against cyber attacks.
“They include: Firstly, the adoption of a framework strategy for the cyber security of BiH. Secondly, the appointment of a contact person who is responsible for the cyber security policy in the country. Thirdly, the adoption of a law to ensure information security. And fourth thing, the implementation of the existing decisions of the Council of Ministers for the establishment of a strong network of computer incident response teams. Most importantly, BiH leaders must allocate the resources necessary to create an open, reliable and secure cyber environment in which companies, institutions and citizens are protected from malicious actors. You all have an important role to play,” said the U.S. ambassador.
He pointed out that officials must familiarize themselves with the problems faced by all citizens because the country’s cyber security infrastructure is inadequate and that it is necessary to lobby among them to work on improving the situation.
“Your expertise is crucial during the design and implementation of digital, IT and cyber security solutions. If cyber security in BiH is not improved, the country will be vulnerable and subject to even worse disruptive attacks in the future. We wish you all success, whether it’s a start-up company, a supplier of well-known technology solutions, an engineer creating the next generation of IT solutions, or an academic working on digital policy. Your success requires governments to take a comprehensive approach to cyber security. It is the foundation of the digital economy, and without a solid foundation, every structure, including the economy, is collapsing,” the ambassador stressed.
He said that the U.S. Embassy in BiH is ready to be a partner and help BiH achieve the stated goals.
“We will also continue to advocate the use of trusted suppliers that will form clean networks to protect critical infrastructure and implement digital solutions,” he concluded, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
