Cyberattacks continue to target North Macedonia’s institutions, prompting authorities to take steps to bolster their software defenses.
The National Center for Response to Computer Incidents, operating under the Agency for Electronic Communications, reported that a state institution admitted being the victim of cyberattacks in September. However, the specific institution in question was not disclosed.
The National Center for Response to Computer Incidents explained that intense web traffic directed at the targeted institution had caused disruptions to its operations.
In August of this year, the director of the Agency for Electronic Communications, Jeton Akiku, revealed that the Center for Response to Computer Incidents had addressed 155 incidents, with 12 classified as more serious.
At the start of September, North Macedonia’s Government signed an agreement with Aitonix, a company based in Skopje, worth 23 million euros for software licenses aimed at safeguarding against cyberattacks.
This new agreement marked an 8 million euro increase in cost compared to a previous agreement signed by the Macedonian Government three years earlier for the protection of institutions from cyber threats. The earlier agreement was inked by the then Secretary-General of the Government, Dragi Raskovski, who currently faces legal proceedings for abuse of official duty.
The signing of the September agreement drew criticism from the Macedonian opposition party, VMRO-DPMNE. They questioned the rationale behind the government paying more for identical services compared to three years ago.
VMRO-DPMNE called on the Commission for the Prevention of Corruption to investigate the case, alleging that Aitonix’s program had close links to Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski.
In response, government officials explained that the increased software security cost was attributed to the inclusion of a greater number of institutions requiring protection from cyber threats.
“The Secretary-General of the Government conducted research and consultations with relevant institutions, resulting in an expanded list of 22 participating institutions, compared to the previous 18. This list includes the government, all ministries, the Health Insurance Fund, the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, and the Customs Administration. Under this procurement, the chosen bidder will be responsible for installing, implementing, and providing training for the required Microsoft licenses and services. This will enhance operational efficiency, effectiveness, and security levels. Other factors contributing to the increased cost included changing market conditions,” as stated by the Government.
However, Bozhidar Spirkoski, an information engineering expert, pointed out that the key challenge lies in securing a qualified workforce for protecting institutions.
While acknowledging the importance of salaries, Spirkoski emphasized the need for consistency in implementing agreed-upon strategies, regardless of changes in political leadership. He also highlighted the importance of retaining information engineering personnel and the necessity for maintaining strategy implementation continuity, which is currently lacking in North Macedonia.
In September, following the Government’s software license agreement announcement, North Macedonia’s Ministry of Information Society introduced a draft law on network and information system security.
This draft law proposed the establishment of the Digitalization, Cybersecurity, and Digital Transformation Agency, tasked with coordinating cybersecurity efforts for all North Macedonian institutions. The agency is expected to operate with an annual budget of 21.5 million euros.
