On December 9, Kyiv hosted a Ukrainian-Estonian business forum to share experiences and cooperate in the areas of digital resilience, cybersecurity, and IT. Kitsoft CEO Oleksandr Iefremov presented the Security Operations Center, the company's initiative to strengthen the cybersecurity of government IT systems.
Image: Speakers of the Ukrainian-Estonian business forum.
Cyberattacks are becoming one of the biggest global threats of our time. Every year, their number increases by 15-20% globally, and economic losses from cybercrime are projected to reach about $10 trillion in 2025.
In Ukraine, the number of registered cyber incidents increased by 62.5% in 2023. Among the trends in the first half of 2024 is a significant increase in the number of cyberattacks on government organizations and local authorities, the State Special Communications Service of Ukraine notes.
The business forum brought together about 100 Estonian and Ukrainian officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and technology companies to find new solutions to strengthen Ukraine's digital resilience and protection in cyberspace.
Image: Participants of the panel discussion on the importance of cybersecurity and international cooperation between Ukraine and Estonia.
One of these tools is the Tallinn Mechanism, initiated by Estonia, which has already brought together 11 partner countries to strengthen Ukraine's defense in cyberspace and counteract cyber threats from Russia.
In his speech, Oleksandr Iefremov emphasized the growing risks of cyber attacks and the problems faced by government organizations. These include a lack of resources and qualified personnel, a high cost of cybersecurity solutions, and, as a result, a lack of effective real-time monitoring and rapid response to incidents.
As a response to these challenges, he presented a specialized solution for protecting government agencies and critical infrastructure — the Security Operations Center (SOC). Kitsoft's SOC will provide monitoring, analysis, and rapid response to cyber incidents. It will help protect more than 50 government and municipal customers already cooperating with Kitsoft, as well as expand this service to new customers from Ukraine and abroad.
Image: Kitsoft CEO Oleksandr Iefremov presents Security Operations Center at the Ukrainian-Estonian business forum.
Oleksandr Iefremov thanked Estonian companies for continuing to do business and invest in Ukraine despite Russia's war of aggression, demonstrating solidarity and support. He also noted that the Estonian government is an example of supporting the country's business, promoting and creating opportunities for it abroad. Such a strategy could significantly strengthen the Ukrainian economy.
Despite the fact that the domestic markets of Ukraine and Estonia are limited, both countries have gained extensive experience in cybersecurity, which is in high demand and has significant prospects for scaling. This is evidenced by the success of Estonian tech companies in exporting to Europe and Africa.
Estonia and Ukraine share common cybersecurity challenges, and by combining our efforts, we can effectively overcome them. Our unique expertise and experience need to be scaled up to the international market, and together we can make a huge contribution to the global development of this industry. Together, we can not only compete, but also lead and promote our cybersecurity solutions globally.
— Kitsoft CEO Oleksandr Iefremov.
Image: Kitsoft CEO Oleksandr Iefremov with Kristen Michal, Prime Minister of Estonia, and Raul Nugis, Head of Data and Analytics at KPMG Estonia.
За підсумками форуму було налагоджено багато продуктивних контактів, окреслено подальші кроки для співпраці та визначено перспективні напрямки для спільного розвитку кібербезпеки й цифрової стійкості України та Естонії.