A recent report from the Albanian National Authority for Electronic Certification and Cyber Strategy (AKCESK) has published a report evaluating the implementation of the National Cyber Security Strategy, underlining that more effort is needed from authorities.
The strategy that runs from 2020 to 2025 lays down a number of provisions and for the first time, has a focus on protecting children in the online world.
However, the AKCESK report highlighted that a number of the provisions are yet to be realized.
Policies within the strategy focus on a number of key pillars, firstly, guaranteeing cybersecurity at a national level through the protection of information infrastructures and strengthening technical and legal measures. According to the monitoring, 61.2% of activities were realized, 22.5% were in process, and 16.3% were unrealized.
Policy two focusses on creating a safe cyberenvironment through education and awareness raising and increasing professional standards in the field of information security. The report found that 57.9% of goals were reached while 42.1% remained unrealized.
As for protecting youngsters in cyberspace, the third goal, only 40.5% of strategies were realized while 19% were in process and 40.5% were unrealized.
The fourth policy and goal of the strategy is increasing national and international cooperation in the field of cybersecurity with strategic partners. As of 2022, almost 90% were realized and just 13.3% were unrealized.
After analyzing all progress so far, AKCESK made a number of recommendations including alignment with the EU framework on cybersecurity, for example a national procedure for cases of states of emergency related to cyberattacks as well as creating a special dedicated unit.
They also mentioned a need to align with the EU acquis on artificial intelligence, cloud computing, the Internet of Things and 5G.
Other matters for consideration in the recommendations include regulating the provision of secure internet in public spaces, risk assessment at the national level of cyberthreats, guaranteeing cybersecurity in critical and important information structures, creating study programs in higher education specializing in cybersecurity, and capacity building with authorities in response to increased cybercrime threats.
In 2022, Albanian institutions were rocked by a series of cyberattacks which brought sessions of internal infrastructure to a standstill. This caused significant problems in the land registry, at borders, and when registering births, or carrying out tax and business activities with the government.
The attacks, attributed to Iran, were stalled with the help of Microsoft, US and EU specialists, and support from NATO which Albania is a member of.
