France will contribute its cybersecurity expertise to government institutions in Montenegro, at the request of this NATO member country that is the subject of a major cyberattack on government institutions.
This is the second cyberattack in a week in Montenegro, following a no-confidence motion that brought down its government on August 19. Some Montenegrin officials see it as the hand of Russia, even if the prime minister is cautious about the origin of this act.
The computer systems of several institutions have been “infected”, including that of the Ministry of Finance, revealed this Saturday the head of government, Dritan Abazovic, during a press conference.
Capacity for analysis and advice.
“The French government responds positively to the request of the Montenegrin authorities and makes available the National Agency for the Security of Information Systems (ANSSI) to carry out a mission of support and assistance in the detection, analysis and remediation of cybersecurity”, declared this Saturday the Delegate Minister in charge of the Digital Transition and Telecommunications, Jean-Noël Barrot and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna.
“ANSSI will provide its analysis and advisory capacity, its experience and its know-how to the Montenegrins to understand the situation and initiate the first immediate corrective measures,” they indicated.
They stressed that this mission was “in line with the project to create a regional center for the development of cyber capabilities, led by France and Slovenia, which will have its headquarters in Montenegro.”
They also specified that “at the end of 2021, France had 45,000 cybersecurity experts, that is, 50% more than in 2018”, recalling that in the face of the resurgence of cyberattacks, “140 million euros are dedicated to the training of new cybersecurity experts”, as part of the France 2030 plan launched by President Emmanuel Macron last year.
Source: BFM TV
