Georgia Adopts Cybersecurity Strategy for 2021-2024

National Security Council reported today that the Government has approved the country’s 3rd National Cybersecurity Strategy of Georgia for 2021-2024.

The document established four priorities: Developing an information society, and cyberculture at organizations; Resilient cybersecurity governance system and strengthening public-private partnership; Enhancing cyber capabilities with a strong cyber workforce and relevant technical support; Strengthening Georgia’s position, as a net contributor to cybersecurity internationally.

The strategy, approved by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on September 30, identified two core threat groups: Cyberwar, information warfare, cyber espionage, cyber-attacks run by state actors, and cybercrime, including attacks on critical infrastructure.

Discussing cyberwar, the strategy highlights that Russia carries out information warfare against Georgia, including through propaganda and disinformation, accompanied by an increasing number of advanced persistent threats coming from Russia, aiming at unauthorized access to public and private critical information systems.

Noting that organizations handling the critical information systems and services cannot ensure an “appropriate level of cybersecurity,” the document stressed the need for bolstering said security capacities.

Recalling the 2008 Russian cyber-attacks on Georgian public and private sector, the document stressed that Russia remains the main threat for the country in terms of cyber-warfare. 

As for cybercrime, the document lists phishing, ransomware, deface, distributed denial of service and mail spoofing as some of the most prevalent forms of cybercrime in the country. According to the strategy, commercial entities are being increasingly targetted by cybercrime, alongside state agencies. 

The National Security Council said the document was penned in close cooperation with civil society, as well as the private sector, and with involvement of experts from the United Kingdom.

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