Serhii Demediuk: Public-private partnership is an important component of national cybersecurity in times of war

On 29 October 2024, Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Serhii Demediuk took part in the event ‘Cybersecurity - Protect Your Business. Lessons from the War’, which was held within the framework of the Cybersecurity Month in Ukraine. The purpose of the seminar was to provide real sector enterprises with practical tools and recommendations for creating a reliable cybersecurity system capable of withstanding the current challenges faced in the context of a full-scale invasion of russia.

The event was attended by over 200 business representatives. Speakers included representatives of the NSDC Secretariat, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the National Bank of Ukraine, key cybersecurity providers, Ukrainian cybersecurity companies, international partners, and leading industry experts.

Opening the event, Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Serhii Demediuk stressed the importance of public-private partnership for national security in the context of a full-scale Russian invasion.

‘Today, in times of war, the issue of cybersecurity goes beyond the competence of the state or individual sectors. Public-private partnerships are a key component for strengthening the cyber resilience of our country, as the pooling of efforts and resources allows us to create a strong defence at the national level, ensuring effective counteraction to modern cyber threats. In addition, in the context of rapid digitalisation, every business should not only care about protecting customers‘ personal data or trade secrets, but also ensure comprehensive protection of all its processes and infrastructure from potential hostile actions,’ said Serhii Demediuk.

The event's programme included key topics aimed at improving cyber resilience in Ukraine, including:

● development of public-private partnerships in cybersecurity in Ukraine
● legislative support for cybersecurity in line with EU requirements
● ensuring cybersecurity of the banking system;
secure operation of information and communication systems, as well as algorithms for responding to cyber incidents;
● solutions and experience of companies' cyber resilience in times of war.

Special attention was also paid to the challenges faced by businesses in the current environment - from optimising cyber defence costs for small and medium-sized businesses to building a complete cyber defence system for companies.

The event, organised by the Kyiv Chamber of Commerce and Industry in cooperation with the Kyiv City State Administration and supported by the National Coordination Centre for Cybersecurity, was an important step towards strengthening the cybersecurity of Ukrainian businesses, which is an important factor in Ukraine's resilience to modern threats.