The e-Safe Security Summit, whose main theme this year was set as “Cyber Threat and Hybrid War 2.0,” brought together sector representatives.
Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, who spoke at the opening of the event hosted by the Information Technologies and Communication Authority, discussed the impacts of technological developments on cyber attacks.
Stating that the issue of cybersecurity is becoming increasingly important as we become so intertwined with the digital world, Sayan said, “According to the 2022 Global Risks Report published by the World Economic Forum, cyber attacks are listed as one of the biggest global risks after climate change and pandemics. According to research, a cyber attack occurs every 11 seconds. It is not difficult to predict that with the maturation of artificial intelligence technologies, the number and scope of cyber attacks will increase even more in the coming years.”
Drawing attention to the work carried out by the Ministry, Sayan stated, “Meeting the needs in the field of cybersecurity nationally has become an inevitable necessity. We are rightfully proud of having taken important steps in this regard and establishing our country's cybersecurity infrastructure. The National Cyber Incident Response Center (USOM), under the BTK with the support of our Ministry, conducts activities related to alarms, warnings, and announcements to prevent cyber threats originating from domestic and foreign sources, and plays an important role in ensuring control of incidents with on-site intervention teams in critical situations. While the number of our SOMEs nationwide approaches 2,200, the number of cybersecurity experts working in SOMEs has exceeded 6,500. With the national and international exercises we regularly conduct on cybersecurity, we test our cyber capabilities and contribute to the development of cyber awareness in public and private institutions and organizations.”
Deputy Minister Sayan: We Are Using All Our Resources Under the Guidance of the National Technology Initiative.
Touching on Turkey's increasing claim in the communications sector day by day in the age of digital transformation the world is going through, Sayan said, “We are aware that the more domestic and national technologies our country has, the stronger and more independent its cybersecurity structure will be. For this reason, in order to be fully domestic and national, we are using all our means under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and guided by the ‘National Technology Initiative.’”
Recording that they have signed very serious studies on cybersecurity clustering under the leadership of the Presidency of Defense Industries and that they wholeheartedly support all relevant institutions that empower these studies, Sayan said, “Turkey is now talking about its domestic and national satellites. After Türksat 5A and 5B, we plan to launch 6A into space this year, God willing. Our first domestic and national high-resolution imaging satellite İMECE was launched into its orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in the USA. Turkey is now talking about its domestic electric vehicle. TOGG is now on the roads with its technological infrastructure. Turkey is talking about becoming a world leader in software. Turkey is talking about providing free internet, tax-free mobile phones, and computers to increase our young people in higher education's access to technology even more. We continue to work with all our might so that Turkey can talk about such beautiful developments and many innovations worthy of our people. Together with our youth, we are more ready than ever for the ‘Turkey Century.’”
President Karagözoğlu: The Human Factor Constitutes the Weakest Link in the Cyber Field.
Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu, President of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority, also spoke regarding the increasing cyber attacks. Karagözoğlu said, “As we always express, the human factor constitutes the weakest link in the cyber field. Since cyber threats have the potential to exploit security vulnerabilities in the cyber environment, they can expose users to cyber threats coming from unauthorized and unpermitted sources, especially in the internet environment. In this regard, capacity building at every level is one of the issues we prioritize as an Institution.”
Emphasizing that in today's world, in terms of warfare, the battlefield has changed by adding space and cyber domains after land, sea, and air, Karagözoğlu said, “In our time, cyber attacks on computer networks for military operations have become as important as delivering ammunition or vehicles to the field. Cyber attack and cyber defense are now one of the most important processes that armed forces and military operations must strategically manage. For this reason, like many countries, in our country as well, together with all stakeholders, we are accelerating our efforts and investments to further strengthen our information and communication technologies infrastructures and increase qualified human resources.”
Touching on the fact that as the Information Technologies and Communication Authority, they are also continuing studies especially in building capacity in the cyber field, Karagözoğlu said, “We continue to conduct effective studies on cybersecurity at the National Cyber Incident Response Center within our Institution. We also consider the national and international exercises we conduct in the cyber field very important. With the implementation of the National Cybersecurity Strategy and Action Plan themed ‘Strong and Great Turkey’ covering the 2023-2026 period, we are working with all our might to make our country a more effective ‘Cyber Power’ in the region and in the world.”
President Karagözoğlu concluded his speech by saying that the programs carried out under BTK Academy aim to develop young people in the field of cybersecurity, increase their competencies, and unlock their potential.