Hoaxes, fake news, and misleading information are expanding the cyber interactions to breaching privacy and integrity and questioning the Western Readiness to Respond to Hybrid Threat as proclaimed at the Vilnius Security Forum 2021 held on 26th March 2021.
In 1995 the Net action thriller about a system technology analyst who lost her identity due to a sun-destroyed disk recording her life was welcomed as unforgettable interaction for teasing personal security in the future cyber exposure. The creative projecting on how advanced technologies can overrun our identities is a reality heavily affecting societies living in isolation during the COVID-19 crisis. And the hybrid threats during the world pandemic face the controversial political approaches to lockdowns, curfews, testing, life-saving vaccination and expressions of the forms of democracy in contemporary societies. In the age of data, western governments let data overwhelm democracy.
Can hybrid threats replace our values for identity and democracy? The representatives raised an avalanche of questions at the international conference, followed by over 1300 people. Top policy-makers, security experts, civil society actors, and journalists dealt with citizens and nations‘ security against „wars“ led on social networks, fake media, and statements twitting fast by making use of new technologies.
A member organisation of the CRISPRO knowledge network, the Finnish security organisation Hellenberg International, liaised with the conference. The CRISPRO partner representative Timo Hellenberg moderated a discussion calling for public-private cooperation in mitigating hybrid threats.
„I recall a concept called controllable information some 20 years ago launched in Lithuania’s neighbouring country; nowadays, when we look at the wording and particularly the politics related to the COVID-19 crisis, it is quite the same,“ said Timo Hellenberg.
We have learned from disinformation during COVID-19 to try to integrate the private sector because the companies have a lot of experience from areas where they have already confronted hybrid threats, such as cyber-attacks, mentioned the speakers. Likewise, they concluded that we could learn from IT developers /firms and integrate the private sector experience into the western government systems.
By letting the way to a completely new policy track of artificial intelligence and disruptive technologies, the governments can take advantage of narrowing down the problem of hybrid threats and work together with private firms. One way through is to encourage incentives for the private sector. While the Western governments use the old fashion division of external and internal threats, the threats are not divided into external and internal. The security experts concluded that we could not change the types of threats; hence, we need to change our structures and approaches.
The discussion led to an incentive-driven PPP based on sharing the threat picture where the common interests lay. In the context of security, the supply chain and critical technology involvement are good examples of better cooperation with the „silicon valley“ type companies rather than big industrial companies (as in the Cold War concept).
The panellists mentioned that the governments encountered many technical barriers and other hurdles and solving many issues informally for the lack of regular procedures.
This year the forum was held in an empty conference hall for over 300 persons; however, online actors topped 1300.
Recognising the shared knowledge in risk assessment and reducing the impact of disasters on the population, economic sectors, critical infrastructures, ecosystem services and cultural heritage is the main proposition of the new EC report – „Science for disaster risk management 2020: acting today, protecting tomorrow“. The publication was officially presented at the workbook launching event on 23rd march 2021. You can follow the recorded online event on https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/science-for-disaster-risk-management-2020-acting-today-protecting-tomorrow.
„The book helps experts from diverse regions in our Member States to access knowledge across disciplines, across borders and policies building a more resilient Europe based on science and knowledge… The JRC is putting its long expertise in the field sourcing from different areas such as the Copernicus emergency management services with early warning systems and satellite mapping services“, mentioned Ms Marya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. The Commissioner also expressed great appreciation for the work done by over 300 experts who drew lessons from COVID-19 and other disasters.
„The EC is strongly committed to ensuring that all policies are firmly grounded in an evidence-based approach. This is particularly true for disaster risk management. By relying on lessons learnt as the bases for our decisions, we can better prepare for tomorrow’s threats, including the unique risks and challenges post by future crises“, said Janez Lenarčič, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management. He also stressed the need to strengthen the abilities to response to multiple hazards and fight on many fronts at once. An example of a similar challenge, he referred to the first large deployment to emergency amidst a pandemic situation in Beirut last year. Besides, the Commissioner highlighted that the Europeans should increase the visibility and access of knowledge to policy-makers and first responders‘ preparedness and operation. In the age of data, the sustainability and relevance of scientific knowledge are to be ensured. The Horizon research programme would support various risk assessment initiatives and disaster reduction with a reach portfolio of calls in civil society, security, digital age, climate change, etc.
Tackling the disaster impacts on population, economic sectors, critical infrastructure, environment and cultural heritage, the report deals with many links between hazards and vulnerabilities to support robust and effective action.
Dozens of practices and lessons learned studying the impacts help manage risks and prepare measures to prevent, mitigate, and prepare for future events outlined in the Joint Research Centre-led book. The knowledge gained is supporting risk prediction and the planning of measures to manage risk. The report is proper for citizens‘ and students awareness learning, and you can download the disaster workbook from the link https://drmkc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/knowledge/science-for-drm/science-for-disaster-risk-management-2020.
The Vilnius Security Forum 2021 centres on the western readiness to respond to hybrid threats. The forum gathers specialists on 26th March in Vilnius and going online through webinar formats.
Since September 2018 BVS a.s., has been working as one of the partners on the international project called „Synergy of Integrated Sensors and Technologies for Urban Sustained Environment (SYSTEM)“.
The main objective of this project is to develop and design a new sensor system for the detection of pollutants found in communal waste, waste water and air in order to increase the safety of the population in line with environmental protection.
The SYSTEM project is scheduled for a period of 36 months, during which the optimal requirements of the prototypes of the developed sensors will be designed. These will then be tested in real conditions on pilot sites.
The project consortium comprises a total of 22 entities from different countries (Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Great Britain). The consortium consists of state, self-governing and academic institutions, small, medium and large enterprises and non-profit organizations. The budget of the project is € 9,195,532.29, of which more than € 7 million. € will be funded by the EU.