Ukraine strengthens cyber defence co-operation with Europe
In response to growing concerns about cyber threats, the Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics has started a cyber security master’s degree programme, which will link students with expert training abroad.
The new programme was a topic of discussion during the Strengthening Cyber Defence for Critical Infrastructure workshop held on October 30th and 31st in Kyiv. The NATO Science for Peace and Security Programme supported the event. Making connections with European experts in the field will play a key role in bolstering Ukrainian cyber security.
“The main goal is the creation of double degree programmes of cyber security,” Dmytro Andrushko, the project manager and associate professor in the telecommunication systems department at Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics, told SETimes. “We take students who have completed bachelor’s training in information technology. Then they complete a one year master’s program in Ukraine, and the next year they go to Sweden or Poland. As a result, they will get both a Ukrainian and a foreign diploma. And we will get first-class professionals.”
According to experts, the cyber security issue is extremely important for Ukraine’s critical infrastructure in light of Russian aggression.
“We see these threats, and Russia has a very big potential for such attacks,” Glib Pakharenko, the membership director of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association’s Kyiv chapter, told SETimes. “Let’s look at industrial plants. We have a lot of Russian parts in their control systems. I witnessed once in the conference that Russians can even change the frequency of the turbines in big plants, like hydroelectric power stations. And they do it remotely. This is not a fictional threat. The Russians haven’t used their full potential yet. But that does not mean they won’t do so in the future.”
Experts say the European experience will help Ukraine enhance its cyber security system to confront threats and prepare qualified personnel for the protection of critical infrastructures. So far, according to analysts, Ukrainian cyber security is at a basic level, leaving significant room for improvement.
“It’s quite a new topic and I think a lot has been done already in Europe, and one of the good experiences and the good places to start is to get in contact with ENISA, the European Network Information Security Agency, who can also help. They have really good experts,” Tomasz Szewczyk, the head of the critical infrastructure protection unit of the Polish Government Centre for Security, told SETimes. “You can find a lot of good examples of European policies that might be a start for building a Ukrainian cyber strategy.”
Students will be able to begin the new master’s degree programme next year.
“We need to solve a lot of issues,” Andrushko said. “For example, in Ukraine the duration of the master’s program is one-and-a-half years, but in Europe it’s two years. Ukraine needs really good experts. So I am glad that we can work in co-operation with European counterparts. This is a practical step to protect our cyberspace.”
What steps should be taken to improve Ukraine’s cyber defences? Share your thoughts in the comments section.