Azernews.Az

By Leman Mammadova

The development of information and communication technologies in modern times has led to the formation and increase of cyber crimes. Thus, improvement of the public administration, banking, transport, national security and other systems, expansion of cyber security measures have become urgent concerns worldwide.

Azerbaijan ranked 55th in the Global Cybersecurity Index 2018 published by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

Azerbaijan scored 0.653 points in the index.

Among the CIS countries, Azerbaijan ranked 4th, ahead of Belarus (69th), Armenia (79th), Tajikistan (107th), Kyrgyzstan (111th), and Turkmenistan (143rd).

Worldwide, Azerbaijan was also ahead of countries such as Serbia (58th place), Iran (60th place), Albania (62nd place), Bahrain (68th place), Romania (72nd place), Greece (77th place), Iceland (86th place), Iraq (107th place), etc.

The top 3 includes the UK, the US and France. Following them in the index were Lithuania, Estonia, Singapore, Spain, Malaysia, Canada and Norway.

ITU Global Cybersecurity Index is released annually and is designed to assess the cybersecurity level of countries according to five main criteria: the legislative framework, technical measures, organizational measures, international activities and capacity building for the development of the sphere.

Cyber Security Week was held for the first time in Azerbaijan on March 11-15 this year by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies with the support of Microsoft in order to increase the level of efficiency and awareness and improve technical training in the field of cyber security.

The week featured a series of events, including a national research workshop, Regional Internet Governance Forum, Hackathon competition, and a cyber security solutions workshop.

New technologies are opening the way to new types of crime, the number of cybercrimes is increasing every year. Due to this, Azerbaijan has prepared a cybersecurity strategy for 2019-2024. The strategy envisages the most advanced experience in the field of cybersecurity.

The document that will be adopted in Azerbaijan provides for full compliance with international experience - full readiness for cyber threats, application of all necessary measures to combat them, coordination issues, etc.

The adoption of the National Cybersecurity Strategy will also contribute to the revision of the issues of legal regulation in this area.

The dynamics of development in the country and the wide application of information and communication technologies require great attention to ensuring cybersecurity.

Information technologies, the internet play a special role in the development of the country. More than 80 percent of the country’s population uses the internet, and 76 percent of them use broadband internet.

Widespread use of modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in the country has led to the implementation of sustainable cyber security measures in this area.

Azerbaijan has joined international conventions and programs with the view of forming a legal framework in this area, and further improved its own legal framework.

In 2012, Cyber Security center was established under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan.

The center engages in coordinating the action of information infrastructure subjects, reporting about existing and potential risks at country level, educating public, private and other institutions in the field of cyber security and providing methodological assistance to them.

The center engages in coordinating the action of information infrastructure subjects, reporting about existing and potential risks at country level, educating public, private and other institutions in the field of cyber security and providing methodological assistance to them.

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Leman Mammadova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888

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