The recently held International Cybersecurity Forum (FIC) 2021 in Lille (France) focused on efforts to promote cooperation in ensuring cyber security, in order to avoid the risks of cyberattacks that can cause negative and unpredictable consequences.
The medical crisis arising from the COVID-19 pandemic has shown the urgent need for online connectivity. In this area, the security of the entire system is essential. Taking place in the context that the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the global digitalisation process, the FIC has promoted the European vision of security in cyberspace.
According to statistics from the European Commission (EC), cyberattacks across the continent increased by 75% in 2020 compared to the previous year, with 756 cybersecurity incidents mainly targeting healthcare, finance, and energy systems.
Faced with this fact, the European Union (EU) has come up with mechanisms for joint action. The main theme of this year's FIC reflects the EU’s cybersecurity strategy, which focuses on improving resilience to cyber threats and enabling members to strengthen intra-regional cooperation.
In order to implement this new strategy, the 27 EU member states have agreed to create a joint cyber unit to tackle increasingly sophisticated cybercrime. At the FIC 2021, French Defence Minister Florence Parly announced a plan to significantly increase the combat force in cyberspace. Accordingly, the French Government plans to add 1,100 "new recruits" to the unit to deal with threats from cyber-attacks, in order to put France at the forefront of the “virtual war”.
Cyber-attacks are also increasing globally. In May, there were two major attacks against the US East Coast oil pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline and the world’s largest meat supplier JBS USA. Since the beginning of 2021, organisations and businesses from the US have suffered 52 ransomware attacks, three times higher than in the UK with 16 cases and France with 7.
Coordinating a collective response to deal with unpredictable situations in cyberspace is considered an effective solution to establish an open and safe space in line with current modern digital trends.
