OSCE and Spain organize table-top simulation on protecting critical energy infrastructure from targeted cyber attacks | WPN World People News

Strengthening protection and preparedness against cyber-attacks aimed at industrial control systems is the focus of a two-day table-top simulation starting in Madrid and organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department with the support of Spain’s Interior Ministry, on February 17.

More than 30 experts from relevant state authorities and the private sector, such as operators, providers and owners, will participate in this exercise to gain a hands-on experience on the vulnerabilities of non-nuclear critical energy infrastructure to terrorist attacks.

It is estimated that attacks emanating from cyberspace against critical infrastructure and information and communication technologies (ICT) result in annual losses in the range of 260 to 340 billion euros, according to the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security.

“As the modern world increasingly becomes ‘wired’, more critical systems and infrastructure are being linked via the Internet,” said Laszlo Szücs from the OSCE Transnational Threats Department. “While that has given rise to new technologies that boost efficiency and capability, it has also meant that countries are more vulnerable to hacking and cyber-attack.”

During the simulation, participants will be able to test the effectiveness of their existing protection and crisis management systems, including co-ordination with external crisis management mechanisms. The simulation also aims to further improve partnerships between the public and private sectors to ensure better protection and higher resilience of national energy infrastructures.

This simulation is the first in a series of national exercises developed by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department for interested OSCE participating States, based on its Good Practices Guide on Non-Nuclear Critical Energy Infrastructure Protection from Terrorist Attacks Focusing on Threats Emanating from Cyberspace. The next exercise will be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in April 2016.

Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe