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OP-ED

How much have cyber attacks cost us and what steps are needed for the future?

Politiko 2023-08-30 15:28:10
How much have cyber attacks cost us and what steps are needed for the future?

Elior Vila*

Cybersecurity has become one of the most critical issues nowadays, directly affecting and affecting not only individuals but also state institutions, companies, businesses, various organizations, etc. It is no longer just an internal issue of a state but has taken on global dimensions, affecting even relations between states. The various statistics and calculations show that the losses or damages from cyber attacks amount to billions of dollars annually, with an increase that knows no obstacles.

For Albania, there are no official figures on how cyberattacks have affected economic losses due to their non-reporting, perhaps even the impossibility of following the trend of these attacks, which are considered cybercrimes according to the laws in force. The only cases are those when individuals, mainly business people, have reported falling prey to attacks during business transactions with foreigners. However, due to last year's Iranian attacks, Albania must necessarily be ready to face these cyber attacks, which will likely become more sophisticated and more frequent.

States in the region and beyond have been building cyber defense strategies for years by investing in human resources and infrastructure because cyber security is directly related to national security. The theft of personal data of business companies and attacks on state institutions can directly affect specific aspects of national security, from economic damages to paralyzing online services offered to other institutions and citizens. Identifying the most critical problems and their rigorous treatment is the first step in creating an efficient and long-term defense strategy in the future.

1. Lack of transparency - there are no official reports from individuals (there are only a few sporadic cases) or from other institutions, such as companies, banks, etc., on cyber attacks and the damage they can cause. It is unknown whether it is impossible or whether there needs to be more will for transparency. The second and various facts have already shown this, citing the July 2022 cyber attack or the internal intrusions into the TIMS system in August 2023 as a severe security breach. If it weren't for the Iranians themselves, the Telegram channels that published the results of the attack, or the intervention of foreign diplomats in the case of TIMS, perhaps public opinion would never have been informed about these problems.

2. Lack of cyber security professionals and experts - those currently lured by several times higher salaries from private institutions and companies, while party militants often occupy their positions in state institutions without the proper education and skills in the field of cyber security. Based on these problems, there is an urgent need to create a core of experts who can respond to cyber attacks at the national level. Investments in human resources and infrastructure and determining an appropriate financial reward are also necessary.

3. Cybersecurity as a priority area - it is still seen as a low-priority area where individuals and institutions, whether public or private, are still not aware of the damage that can be caused by cyberattacks, neglecting the basic rules on the preservation of personal data as well as communications with other parties. It is essential to raise awareness at the national level on promoting basic safety rules within companies and their continuous monitoring. This issue requires the cooperation of many factors, coordinating with those institutions responsible for cyber security.

Creating a secure cyber environment in the future requires addressing the above issues urgently, but first of all, there must be the will to make this happen. If this does not occur, the future of cyber security will serve us no more than the disappointing present. Technology development must go hand in hand with creating efficient defense strategies as their lack will cause a cost which, unfortunately, only the users take. At the same time, the governing policy will continue to call it a digital revolution, but at the expense of Albanians. 

*Director of the Department of Brain Gain and Excellence (Internal Network) in the Democratic Party. 

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