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In the National Center for Response to Computer Incidents within the Agency for Electronic Communications during this year, a total of 155 incidents have been reported, of which 12 are more serious, Jeton Akiku, director of the Agency for Electronic Communications, informs Radio Free Europe. North Macedonia.
"This number is only related to the cases that have been presented to the National Center for Response to Computer Incidents, but it should be noted that this number is actually larger, so it is not real, because according to the law, institutions - state and private they have no legal obligation to necessarily present the incidents. Since they don't have the obligatory presentation, some of them don't even do the presentation", says Akiku.
In order to face cyber attacks', the Ministry of Information Society in North Macedonia some time ago announced the establishment of an agency for digitization that will have the task of coordinating cyber security for all the country's institutions, but in this regard nothing concrete has been done yet.
Information Technology experts say that the formation of a center that will manage the defense system against cyber attacks is more than necessary. Otherwise, according to them, not only will the operation of the country's institutions be blocked, but information leakage may occur, seriously damaging the protection of citizens' personal data.
"Solving problems related to cyber attacks requires information technology experts. This framework is clearly missing in the country, and the few that are there do not want to engage because of salaries, which are low in the public sector compared to those they receive in the private sector, where they are mostly engaged. The lack of investments in cyber security means that the websites of the institutions of North Macedonia remain an easy target for attackers", says Filip Simeonov, cyber security expert.
He points out to Radio Free Europe that this negligence can cost the state a lot.
Lack of framework
Director of the Agency for Electronic Communications (AKE), Jeton Akiku, claims that there is a lack of adequate staff of information technology experts.
"The state of cyber security in general is not very bad, but it is not very good. Cyber security is a problem that the whole world is facing recently, not only the countries of the Western Balkans, but also the developed countries. State institutions, as well as the private sector, should make serious investments, especially in human resources, as I believe that the problem in North Macedonia is the lack of adequate human resources that can deal with cyber attacks," he says.
Cyber attacks on state institutions became more frequent after the beginning of the Russian military aggression in Ukraine, the Ministry of Information Society and Administration has confirmed. They say that the countries of the region can expect such attacks in the future.
During this year, cyber attacks blocked the health system for several weeks, leaving health workers without salaries. Whereas, during the past year, farmers were left without subsidies for several months as a result of the cyber attack on the official website of this department.
Even the Government's website has been hacked several times.
The Communications Agency is also a target of cyber attacks
Even the Electronic Communications Agency was the target of cyber attacks in April of this year. The director of this institution, Jeton Akiku, informs that the hackers have asked for a certain value to unlock the system. He explains that they have not fallen prey to blackmail, but information technology experts have quickly managed to solve the problem caused by hackers.
Radio Evropa e Lirë ka pyetur Ministrinë e Punëve të Brendshme se sa sulme kibernetike ndaj institucioneve shtetërore janë raportuar këtë vit në Departamentin e Krimeve Kompjuterike dhe Forenzikës Digjitale dhe në sa raste nga ky dikaster është zbuluar se kush qëndron pas sulmeve kibernetike.
Mirëpo, deri në publikimin e këtij teksti, nuk nga Ministria e Punëve të Brendshme nuk kanë kthyer përgjigje.
As nga Prokuroria, deri në publikimin e tekstit, nuk janë përgjigjur në pyetjen e REL-it se sa është numri hetimeve të sulmeve kibernetike.
Cyber security experts say that the alarm bell for the country is represented by the fact that most of the websites of state and public institutions do not even have the basic certificate in terms of cyber security. Meanwhile, citizens, in order to perform certain services, put their personal data in them, believing that they are protected./REL
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