On October 6 Dr. Rytis Rainys, Director of the National Cyber Security Centre under the Ministry of National Defence underscored the increase in cyberattacks in Lithuania at a roundtable on cybersecurity challenges and threats in Poland and the Baltics at the Warsaw Security Forum.
“The number of cyber-incidents increased by one fourth as compared to 2019 over the last year, moreover, they are increasingly complex. We are also facing hybrid attacks increasingly more frequently: cyber hacks are paired with fake news and disinformation spread. We are concerned about the growth of successful hacks last year by 129%, which entails more damage to system managers and users in Lithuania,” said Dr. R. Rainys.
He also pointed out to the defence sector representatives the security of 5G smart phones manufactured by Chinese companies Huawei and Xiaomi (“Things your smartphone does without your awareness: investigation into three China-made 5G devices”). It was met by participants of the forum with heated discussions and debate on the potential threats to defence infrastructures presented by Chinese technologies.
“The study the Lithuanian National Cyber Security Centre team conducted into the technology of the mobile devices bears relevance to defence sector, it should carry out a separate assessment of the study findings, while manufacturers should continue being asked to explain hidden features in their products and excessive access to personal user data,” said Dr. R. Rainys at the roundtable.
The Warsaw Defence Forum is an annual keystone defence sector event in Europe that provides a platform for sharing insight on the transatlantic cooperation, shared values and security challenges. Aside from the usual security topics, this year the event focussed heavily on cyber, energy and economic security.
