As technology continues to evolve, the concept of cybersecurity is becoming increasingly recognized in close connection with the threat of cybercrime. More than ever, topics on the protection of personal data, standardization of cyber protection and the level of individual involvement and personal responsibility are being discussed more urgently. We interviewed cybersecurity strategy and policy consultant Daniel Ionita, who will talk about current challenges of cyberspace at the upcoming International ITAPA Congress 2019.

What do you think is crucial in combating cybercrime?

Protecting our networks and providing information security needs a broad acceptance of standardized and certified cyber products. Cyber defense, even is a sovereignty attribute, as each "defense aspect", has a national component backed by an international one. For all these, we need a clear legal framework to let our institution to work together for our safety. At the same time, cybersecurity companies involved in developing safer products and services spend money on providing these and are entitled to make a profit. A predictable and modern legal framework would be useful for them, too. But secure services and strong institutions without educated and aware end-users will be useless, as long as cybersecurity is more a human issue than a technical one.
 

During the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, you chaired the Horizontal Working Group on Cyber Issues (HWPCI). What was the main agenda of the group?

Given that the HWPCI was a structure specialized in detecting the needs of national authorities in the fight against cybercrime related to the needs of the cyber industry, the main challenge was to gather the interests of each Member State while hearing the voice of the cyber industry. An example of successful coordination of the two sectors was the establishment of innovation centers for cybersecurity and networks of national coordination centers.
 

What will be the message of your presentation?

Equally, at EU and at the national level, a cyber regulation process needs a good balance between empowering the public entities in combating cybercrime and let enough room to the cyber industry to develop secure products and safer services making their business profitable, too. And that is the reason why cybersecurity is everyone business.