(Expansion) – As digitization connects the world, cyber security becomes more important than ever. In the news, we have seen an increase in cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure like energy, healthcare, and transportation.
These attacks have affected the lives of millions of people around the world. According to one estimate, the damage caused by cybercrime could have reached US$6 trillion in the last 12 months.
Meanwhile, as a result of the pandemic, people are spending more time online. Many people continue to work or study remotely. This makes it even more important that we do everything we can to ensure a healthy and safe cyberspace.
In the public sector, new laws, regulations and standards are introduced periodically. In the last two years alone, 151 countries have passed more than 180 cybersecurity laws. In the telecommunications sector, industry organizations have been working closely with other industry stakeholders to promote network security assurance specifications and independent certifications.
This has been widely accepted in the ICT industry, which is sure to play a very important role in the development and verification of secure networks.
However, we still have a lot of work to do. Cybersecurity is a complex and evolving challenge that requires close collaboration and information sharing. We are still missing a coordinated, standards-based approach across the industry, especially when it comes to governance, technical capabilities, certification, and collaboration.
In some places, there is still a misconception that the country of origin affects the security of equipment and network technology. This is simply not true. It doesn’t solve the real challenges facing our industry and prevents us from forming a unified approach.
Corporations must make cybersecurity a top priority. A serious responsibility, because your clients – and your clients – deserve it; to make sure the equipment they are using is healthy and safe.
This can only be achieved on the basis of continuous and long-term investment in cybersecurity management practices and technology. Of course, cybersecurity assurance systems cannot be developed overnight. They are the result of regular engagement, joint research and innovation with customers, partners, industry groups, regulators and standards organizations around the world.
Having a Cyber Security Transparency Center is about demonstrating commitment to this, adhering to a basic principle for security: “Assume nothing. Believe no one. Check everything.”
The idea is that both trust and mistrust should be based on facts, not feelings, not speculation, not baseless rumours. The facts must be verifiable, and that verification must be based on standards.
Transparency centers should: i) Demonstrate solutions and share experiences, ii) facilitate communication and joint innovation, and iii) provide a platform for security testing and verification; that has the best tools, test environments, and experts available to partners, customers, and industry peers.
All stakeholders can understand and try the products; and together, collaborate more closely on security standards, verification, and innovation.
Looking to the future, 3 could be the priorities.
I. First, build capacities together. Cyber security threats are complex, diverse and evolving, and no organization has what it takes to address them all. From governance to standards and technology to verification, we need to work together, combine strengths and build collective capabilities.
II. Second, share the value. The more knowledge and best practices we share, the more effectively we can strengthen cybersecurity as a community.
III. Third, build tighter coalitions. That means governments, standards bodies and technology providers must work more closely to develop a unified understanding of cybersecurity challenges. This must be an international effort.
The bottom line is that cybersecurity risk is a shared responsibility and we need to treat it that way. We need to set shared goals, align responsibilities and work together to build a trusted digital environment that meets the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Editor’s note: César Funes Vice President of Institutional Relations of Huawei Latin America. Follow him on . The opinions published in this column belong exclusively to the author.
