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Strategikon Report: Romania is the ideal launch pad for cyber-attacks
In the current European context, Romania is the ideal launch pad for cyber-attacks against both internal and external targets, due to its internet speed (highest in the EU) and lack of cyber protection (both PCs and networks), reads a report by the Strategikon think tank released on Tuesday.
The document states that the lack of a law defining responsibility for the cyber infrastructure owned by private entities, transforms the national infrastructure's capabilities in real disadvantages in terms of cyber security at a local, regional and global level.
According to the document, "the need for cybersecurity is acute especially given the fact that recent terrorist threats started mainly in cyber space and weakened national online systems."
In this context, the authors of the report consider that in Romania, "faced with cyber risks, public opinion is unable to adapt, still fighting the legacy of oppression left by the former political police. Meanwhile, the US, Canada and other important European countries work together against hackers and criminal groups, the faceless criminals of the internet."
The Strategikon analysis refers also to the situation in Eastern Europe in terms of cyber crime, considering this "operates like a legitimate business marketplace, becoming increasingly more commercialized and services oriented."
"Eastern Europeans and Germans are some of the more active individuals in the European cybercrime eco-system. According to 2015 Interpol findings, Eastern European cybercriminals were among the most sophisticated. Notably, they highlighted the fact that while they may use exploits created by other hackers, they implement customized tools designed for the specific operation. These actors typically work in small teams focused on the projects at hand and are extremely cautious about preserving their anonymity," the document reads.
The Strategikon Report, titled "Liberty, trust and security in the national and European cyber space," was drawn up under the guidance of Eugen Valeriu Popa, vice-president of the think tank. Its authors are Bebe-Viorel Ionica - former Secretary of State with the Ministry of Communications and Informational Society, Claudiu Saftoiu - former Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Corneliu Visoianu - PhD candidate at the National Defence University, Denis Kurunczi - legal adviser for the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics, Filofteia Repez - Associate Professor with the Security and Defence Faculty of the National Defence University, Florin Necula - adviser with the Economy Ministry, Gabriel Mihailescu - IT professional with a broad experience in system administration and strategy development and implementation, Steluta Madalina Neacsu - expert on international security, and Mihai Popa - corporate law expert.