CROATIA INTERESTED IN SOFIA CYBERSECURITY

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001677 SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/MMARKOFF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON KCIP EINT PREL HR SUBJECT: CROATIA INTERESTED IN SOFIA CYBERSECURITY CONFERENCE REF: STATE 195750 SUMMARY ¶1. THE GOC HAS NO SPECIFIC NATIONAL PLAN FOR CYBERSECURITY AT THIS TIME, BUT IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND TAKING STEPS TO ADDRESS IT AS PART OF A LARGER INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY. THE GOC WILL LIKELY ATTEND THE SOFIA CYBERSECURITY CONFERENCE (REFTEL),BUT WILL ONLY DETERMINE WHO TO SEND FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S OFFICE OF INTERNETIZATION, MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND MINISTRY OF MARITIME AFFAIRS, TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS ONCE THE STRUCTURE (AND LEVEL OF ATTENDANCE) OF THE CONFERENCE IS DETERMINED. END SUMMARY. ¶2. WE DISCUSSED REFTEL ISSUES WITH MLADEN MAUHER, HEAD OF THE GOVERNMENT OFFICE FOR INTERNETIZATION AND OVERALL COORDINATER FOR CYBERSECURITY ISSUES, AND DIJANA SIMIC, ASSISTANT MINISTER AT THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. SIMIC SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS DEVELOPING A STRATEGY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE AN EXAMINATION OF CROATIA'S CYBERSECURITY NEEDS. ¶3. CROATIA IS A SIGNATORY TO THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S CONVENTION ON CYBERSECURITY. IT IS PASSING A SERIES OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, INCLUDING: A LAW ON ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES WHICH WAS PASSED LAST YEAR, A DRAFT LAW ON COMMUNICATIONS IN THE WORKS, AND AN ELECTRONIC COMMERCE LAW WHICH IS CURRENTLY IN DRAFT AND EXPECTED TO GO TO THE PARLIAMENT THIS FALL. ¶4. A GOVERNMENT AGENCY CALLED CARNET (CROATIAN ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH NETWORK) OPERATES A 24/7 OPERATION THAT TRACKS AND RESPONDS TO PROBLEMS AND CYBER THREATS TO CROATIA'S INFORMATION NETWORKS. ¶5. MAUHER AND SIMIC SAID THAT DEPENDING ON THE STRUCTURE AND LEVEL OF THE CONFERENCE, MAUHER, SIMIC, AND POSSIBLY TATJANA HOLJEVAC, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS, WOULD ATTEND. IF THE CONFERENCE IS AT MORE OF A TECHNICAL AND EXPERT LEVEL, SUSANA STOJANOVIC, ADVISOR IN OFFICE OF INTERNETIZATION AND EXPERT IN SECURITY ISSUES, PERHAPS AN EXPERT FROM SIMIC'S OFFICE, AND MIHO PITAREVIC FROM HOLJEVAC'S DEPARTMENT WOULD ATTEND. SIMIC ALSO RECOMMENDED THE HEAD OF CARNET IF THE CONFERENCE IS AT AN EXPERT LEVEL. FRANK NNNN