The President of Ukraine approved a new Cybersecurity Strategy of Ukraine

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, by the Decree of 26.08.2021 № 447/2021, put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine of May 14, 2021 “On the Cybersecurity Strategy of Ukraine”.

The Cybersecurity Strategy of Ukraine defines the priorities of national interests in the field of cybersecurity, goals and objectives in building a national cybersecurity system for the long term.

The Strategy takes into account current threats and challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed economic processes and social behavior, forcing citizens to work remotely using electronic services and cloud technologies. The Russian Federation, in particular, uses cyberattacks to manipulate public opinion and spread disinformation among Ukrainian citizens, to interfere in the electoral process. The aggressor state is constantly increasing the arsenal of cyber weapons, aimed primarily at information systems of Ukraine’s state bodies and critical infrastructure.

In such a situation, Ukraine needs to develop the national cybersecurity system on the basis of deterrence, cyber resilience, and interaction.

1. Strengthening the capabilities of the national cybersecurity system to prevent armed aggression against Ukraine in cyberspace or with its use, neutralize intelligence and subversive activities, minimize the threat of cybercrime and cyberterrorism;
2. Cyber resilience. The ability to quickly adapt to internal and external threats in cyberspace, support the sustainable functioning of the national information infrastructure, especially critical information infrastructure;
3. The development of communication, coordination, and partnership between cybersecurity actors at the national level. The development of strategic relations in the field of cybersecurity with key foreign partners, especially with the European Union, the United States, and other NATO member states and international organizations.

Each priority principle contains a clear and understandable definition of strategic goals to be achieved during the period of implementation of the Strategy.

DETERRENCE provides for the formation of an effective cyber defense system by creating cyber troops; effective counteraction to intelligence and subversive activities in cyberspace and cyberterrorism.

CYBER RESILIENCE requires all cybersecurity actors to respond to cyberattacks in a timely and effective manner, to ensure a regime of constant preparedness to respond to potential and real cyber threats. A national incident management system should be established. Ukraine will carry out a radical reform of the system of training and retraining of specialists in the field of cybersecurity, the state will stimulate research and development in the field of security of digital services.

To improve INTERACTION, Ukraine will establish conditions for cybersecurity actors to work effectively together to prevent, repel and neutralize the effects of cyberattacks. Active participation in dialogue with international partners will ensure the exchange of information on cyber incidents and the investigation of international cybercrimes.

“In addition to the main actors of the national cybersecurity system, Ukraine will involve a wider range of actors, including business entities, public associations, and individual citizens of Ukraine. The National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity will play a key unifying and coordinating role in this process”, - the document reads.

The Strategy takes into account the latest global trends and challenges: in the rapidly progressing changes of the digital world, in particular, cloud and quantum computing, 5G networks, big data, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, etc., cybersecurity is now one of the priorities for the state.