On the way to technological independence: Experts Discuss Key Digital Security Challenges in Times of War

As part of the Tech360: Policy, Talents & Growth event, a panel discussion on “Defense Technologies and Digital Security: Towards Technological Independence” was held on Tuesday, June 17, with Sergiy Prokopenko, Head of the National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity (NCCC) of the Information Security and Cybersecurity Service of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, participating.

This platform, initiated by the IT Ukraine Association, brought together representatives of the public sector, the technology industry, and public initiatives to develop strategic solutions in the field of digital transformation and security.

Technological independence is a new paradigm of national resilience

The panelists agreed that technological independence today is not only the ability to produce solutions locally, but also resilience to hybrid threats, flexibility to respond to new challenges, and continuous coordination between key stakeholders. Positive examples include the Enemy Software initiative, which brought together the government, business, and the expert community to cleanse the digital space of Russian software and promote Ukrainian solutions.
At the same time, participants noted that systemic interaction is still a challenge, and some initiatives are implemented on a piecemeal basis, without a scaling effect.

Key Challenges of Cyberspace: NCCC Position

In his speech, Serhii Prokopenko outlined key trends in cyber threats, including the growing number of attacks on supply chains, the use of deepfake technologies to destabilize and intensify attacks on critical infrastructure.
"Today we are witnessing a shift from mass attacks to highly targeted campaigns that combine technical tools with psychological pressure. This requires a rethinking of response mechanisms, especially at the intersection of legal and technological tools," said Prokopenko.

The NCCC's priorities for the second half of 2025 include updating the Cybersecurity Strategy, launching new mechanisms for interagency cooperation, and increasing the resilience of critical infrastructure protection systems.

Coordination and policy are a guarantee of resilience

The discussion also touched upon the development of defense digital technologies, scaling successful solutions (in particular, the Delta system), harmonizing the regulatory framework with international standards, and strengthening information security in the face of active use of AI by the aggressor.

In the final part of the discussion, the participants concluded that the main challenges remain fragmented initiatives, insufficient regulatory framework for rapid response, and lack of sustainable mechanisms to support innovation in cyber defense.

At the same time, the participants noted cross-sectoral projects that combine expertise, political will, and technological capability as effective tools.