Cybersecurity workshop: Safeguarding critical information infrastructure

An interactive workshop will enhance an understanding of critical information infrastructure protection and its significance in the modern digital landscape. Participants will learn about the components and sectors comprising critical infrastructure and gain insights into the EU legal approaches, recent developments, and examples. The workshop will provide a comprehensive policy orientation and actions toward security and stability in cyberspace.

The workshop will:

• Introduce national cybersecurity governance models, powers, and mandates of national competent authorities, as well as CERT/CSIRT frameworks. Participants will delve into the concepts, principles, and operational legal frameworks, and best practices for incident response and coordination.
• Provide participants with the knowledge and skills required to manage cyber incidents within critical information infrastructure.
• Emphasize the importance of collaboration and information sharing among different stakeholders involved in incident management (including during the event of a cyber emergency)

By the end of this workshop, participants will be equipped with practical skills and strategies to enhance the security posture of critical infrastructure systems and understand the role of a central Cybersecurity Authority in this model.

Target group:

The workshop aims to bring together stakeholders from governmental institutions and agencies dealing with digitalisation and cybersecurity, alongside private sector representatives from Cabo Verde dealing with critical services.

Organisers:

e-Governance Academy, as part of the AU-EU D4D Hub project.

Speakers:

Elsa Neeme works as Senior Cybersecurity Expert at the eGA since August 2022. Before that, she served for five years as the Legal Adviser of the NATO CCDCOE. Between 2020–2021, she was also the Board Member and the first Chief Executive of Foundation CR14, established in November 2020 by the Ministry of Defence of Estonia. The CR14 operates a variety of sophisticated cyber ranges and focuses on cybersecurity-related research, development, and technical exercises for both domestic and international partners. Elsa has also long-lasting working experience from the Estonian Information System Authority. In 2016–2018, her focus was on developing the national cybersecurity legal system, designing information security and risk management frameworks, and supporting CERT-EE and supervision in legal matters. She is one of the main coauthors of Estonia’s Cybersecurity Act.

Epp Maaten is former Programme Director of Cybersecurity at the e-Governance Academy, now Team Lead of the EU Cybersecurity Rapid Assistance Project in Moldova. Epp Maaten has 20 years of experience from Estonian public sector institutions. She worked as Advisor and Deputy Head of the Electronic Voting Committee. She has advised the President of Estonia and the Chancellor of Justice on information society related matters. Previously Epp served at Estonian Information System Authority and managed governmental policy and projects concerning critical infrastructure protection and IT risk management. Epp has been also auditor at Eesti Energia and National Audit Office. Until 2007, she coordinated the IT projects of the National Electoral Committee, including Internet voting. She is a certified IT auditor (CISA) and graduated from the IT College of Tallinn University of Technology as an IT systems administrator and reached a master’s degree in public administration.

This is an invite-only event. If you wish to attend, please e-mail us at au-eu@d4dhub.eu