The Swedish government is now commissioning key defence and security agencies to establish a national cyber security center (NCSC) after national infrastructure and private companies have been targeted with constant cyber-attacks, including the industrial security group Gunnebo. Read more about the new national cyber security center to be established in Sweden.
Sweden is the latest Nordic country to bolster its cyber defense in the face of heightened threats. Almost a third of top VPN’s are secretly owned by Chinese companies or owners based in countries with weak or no privacy laws.
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The Swedish NCSC will be managed by the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF) and the National Defence Radio Establishment, aka Signals Intelligence (Signit) branch of the SAF. Also, Säpo (Säkerhetspolisen), the Swedish national security agency tasked with counter-espionage and counter-terrorism roles which operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, will be included in the formation.
The fourth partner in the NCSC alliance is the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), which also operates under the Ministry of Justice and is charged with protecting Sweden’s critical infrastructure and managing local and national emergency responses.
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The Swedish government has allocated SEK440m to meet the NCSC’s projected operational costs in the period 2021 to 2025. NCSC will be crucial in Sweden’s long-term desire to boost its capacity to prevent, identify and deal with the increasing cyber threats that target critical IT infrastructure.
Peter Hultqvist, defense ministry, said that the usage of technology and digitization are increasing and there is a visible proportionate rise in threats and vulnerabilities. Therefore, the National Cyber Security Center is said to provide a security tier for IT networks preventing cyber crooks from disrupting networks and indulging in data thefts.
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The NCSC initiative will strengthen Sweden’s ability to deliver a new layer of security that shields the country from disturbances to its economic competitiveness and prosperity as it moves forward in the digital age.
New National Cyber Security Center To Be Established in Sweden, written by Tor Kjolberg
Feature image (on top): Democratic Europe