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Information Services will coordinate the prevention, response, management and provision of an effective mechanism against cyber and hybrid attacks of the entire public administration. This will be ensured by the signed technical assistance agreement between the National System Integrator and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). The strategic document was signed by the CEO of Information Services Ivaylo Filipov and the director of the agency, Ms. Enoh T. Ebong, in the presence of the interim Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, the U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria H.E. Kenneth Merten, and the Minister of Electronic Government Valentin Mundrov.
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency will provide technical assistance, consultants, training, and additional equipment for the establishment of a National Cybersecurity System in the public administration and will facilitate the implementation of the global best practices in the field. The agreement provides for the Information Services` Cybersecurity Monitoring Centre, which is currently responsible for the critical infrastructure of certain departments, to be upgraded and to be transformed into a National Cybersecurity Operations Centre for the entire public administration. A detailed audit will be carried out and a roadmap will be developed for the implementation of a common set of cyber security standards to cover the administrative bodies in the country.
"Today we are witnessing the deepening of our cooperation with USTDA in three key areas – energy, railway infrastructure, and cybersecurity. This partnership will continue to develop and build" said Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev during the event.
The Minister of Electronic Governance Valentin Mundrov noted that USTDA's support will achieve the implementation of the most advanced national cybersecurity architecture for administrative bodies and public service operators. "The signed agreement aims to significantly improve the government's capacity in the field of cybersecurity in Bulgaria, contributing to the achievement of our goals in this area" Mundrov said. He clarified that through the strategic partnership and the assistance of the US agency, a comprehensive strategy will be created, meeting the highest cybersecurity standards.
"USTDA is proud to partner with the Bulgarian government in its efforts to build a centralized cybersecurity system and a common set of cybersecurity standards," said the director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, Ms. Enoh T. Ebong. She added that USTDA's support will facilitate the adoption of best practices that, with the help of advanced technologies in the United States, will provide reliable options for secure and uninterrupted services for the citizens of Bulgaria.
"Data security is a top priority for governments everywhere. This program will help our partners in the Bulgarian government to defend themselves against malicious cyberattacks and ensure that government and citizen data is protected," said U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria H.E. Kenneth Merten.
Ivaylo Filipov, the executive director of Information Services, told to journalists that the company had received an extremely high evaluation from the US government with the opportunity to sign this agreement. "Our cyber centre will be upgraded, we will improve the services we provide and make them multi-layered so that the country has the ability to defend itself and prevent attacks that affect cyber security," Filipov informed. He emphasized that he expects with the professionalism of the company's team and the good interaction with the country structures they serve, to achieve the maximum result from the partnership with USTDA.