October is the month of awareness regarding the importance of cybersecurity, and on this occasion, the fourth conference titled “Cyber Security – Resilience as a Strategic Capability” was held today in Sarajevo.
The American Chamber of Commerce in BiH (AmCham BiH) organized the conference in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, the International Republican Institute (IRI), and Women4Cyber BiH. The aim of the conference, as emphasized, is to raise awareness about cyber security and prioritize it in society, as it represents the most challenging segment of the digital world today.
Jasmin Azemović from HTEC Group stated that the conference focuses on cyber resilience, specifically on how society and the state as a whole can be resilient to large-scale cyberattacks, such as those targeting the telecommunications industry and electricity distribution. He added that an attack on such critical points could place the state and society in a very difficult situation.
“The focus of the panel on cybersecurity in the telecommunications industry, and the entire conference, is to assess our resilience to cyber attacks on strategic infrastructure. Security is not a final state but a process. Education and investment in knowledge are definitely the paths leading to success in this regard,” noted Ademović, adding that BiH is striving to keep up with trends.
Admir Drinić, General Director of Telemach BH, stated that while there is much discussion about digitalization and a push toward modern solutions, the area of security often remains somewhat sidelined.
“Many countries in the region have already experienced certain problems with cyber attacks, some of which have even led to the paralysis of procurement systems. Therefore, we believe it is important to involve as many decision-makers as possible who can learn from prominent experts from both the country and abroad, and we hope for progress in this area,” said Drinić.
Amir Sarić, president of the ICT committee at AmCham BiH, pointed out that this conference is crucial for raising awareness about the importance of cyber security and prevention. He emphasized that the issue of cyber security is not solely in the domain of the IT sector but that awareness must be raised among all key stakeholders, particularly company management.
Azra Habibija Ražanica from Women4Cyber BiH noted that this year’s conference partners will discuss resilience as a strategic capability, which is particularly needed in BiH as there is no legal regulation for cyber security.
“Furthermore, we do not have universities that will educate future experts, who are increasingly scarce in the market, and there is a lack of awareness about the importance of cyber security. Since the beginning of the year, we have published two guides for BiH society, one focusing on the basics of cyber security and the other for businesses, emphasizing the need for education to prevent cyber attacks as much as possible,” Ražanica added.
She stressed the necessity of a strategic framework and institutions capable of responding effectively when such attacks occur.
