Azerbaijan to set up large–scale DATA Center
By Nigar Orujova
Large-scale DATA center will be set up in Azerbaijan in the near future, according to the country's Ministry of Communications and High Technology.
Communications and High Technologies Minister Ali Abbasov said preparations are underway to set up such a center to protect data against cyber attacks.
During a meeting with NATO Assistant Secretary General Sorin Ducaru, Abbasov said the need to create the DATA Center is felt in the face of the dynamic growth of the number of the Internet's users and the Internet content.
"The complex protection is currently provided by the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), functioning under the State Agency for Special Communications and Information Security of Special State Protection Service, and the Electronic Security Center under the ministry," he said.
In turn, Ducaru said NATO intends to expand cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of cybersecurity. "NATO supports the participation of Azerbaijani specialists in cybersecurity training courses and experience exchanges in this field."
Abbasov appreciated the offer and expressed interest in further cooperate with NATO in this area.
Cyber attacks in Azerbaijan
"Most of external cyber attacks on Azerbaijan's network infrastructure comes from countries with well-developed Internet infrastructure," the Deputy Minister of Communications and High Technologies Elmir Velizade said on April 9.
The US, Russia, China are included in the list of countries that produce the cyber threats.
Velizade said, in recent years, cyber attacks caused a great concern in the world, including Azerbaijan. "Geography of the cyber attacks is expanding, and the number of cyber attacks is increasing every year. Azerbaijan attaches great importance to information security in the country," he said.
"Educational work is an important component in preventing unwanted incidents and ensuring effective protection from them," he added.
In Azerbaijan, the vast majority of the external attacks occur during important events including both holidays and mourning days.
Azerbaijan, in which some 70 percent of the populations uses internet, is taking long steps in addressing the cyber security threats.