EU and Ukraine to exchange best cyber practices for energy security

The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) has formalised a working arrangement with Ukraine counterparts, focused in part on the exchange of best practices to ensure alignment of legislation and implementation, with energy being a key focus.

The partnership, signed by ENISA, the National Cybersecurity Coordination Center (NCCC) and the Administration of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP), aims to align cyber legislation implementation, including NIS2, especially in sectors such as energy and telecommunications.

The arrangement is broad in nature and covers short-term structured cooperation actions while paving the way for a longer-term alignment of cybersecurity policies and implementation approaches.

Beyond the area of energy, cooperation will also be sought to develop cyber awareness and capacity building to enhance cyber resilience, as well as knowledge and information sharing to increase common situational awareness, including a more systematic sharing in relation to the cybersecurity threat landscape.

Commenting in a release was EU high representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/vice-president of the European Commission, Josep Borrell: “The malicious manipulation of information and cyber-attacks is a key element of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Well-known hybrid tactics are being exploited by Russia on a new massive scale, targeting not only Ukraine, but also the European Union.

“This makes today’s arrangement on enhanced cooperation for cybersecurity even more important. The arrangement is an additional essential component of our overall support to help Ukraine to defend itself against Russia and of our long-term commitment to Ukraine’s security.”

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European commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton added that “The European Union will continue to support Ukraine in its fight against the Russian aggressor and on its path to membership of the European Union.

“Today, we bring our cybersecurity agencies closer, launching joint work on prevention of attacks on critical infrastructure, cybersecurity skills and capacity building.”

The announcement comes a week after the release of a detailed report from Google-owned US cybersecurity firm Mandiant, which illustrates how Russia-affiliated hacking group Sandworm was behind the October 2022 cyber attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

According to Mandiant’s researchers, the multi-event cyber attack represents “the latest evolution in Russia’s cyber physical attack capability,” which they state has been made increasingly visible since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Commented State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP) chairman, Yurii Shchyhol: “Cyberspace has become a full-fledged component of the war that Russia has waged against Ukraine. This war has also given the whole world a clear understanding that the civilized world only together can resist aggression in cyberspace.

“We are ready to exchange information and share Ukraine’s experience in the world’s first cyber war to help each country become stronger in the face of new threats.”

The Working Arrangement builds on the discussion initiated last year in Warsaw, Poland, during the EU-Ukraine Cybersecurity Dialogue and will be a key item at the next Dialogue.

A work plan will operationalise the Working Arrangement.