Under the title “Cyber Defense: New Confrontation Scenarios in the Age of Digital Sovereignty. Coordination between government CERTS”. The forum, organized by the EDEFA group, addressed the main issues and challenges that arise from the point of view of Cyber Defense and Cyber Security within the new sovereignty of Cyberspace.
As highlighted by the Commander of the Joint Cyberspace Command (General Rafael García Hernández) at the opening of the Forum: “… whoever dominates Cyberspace, providing the necessary freedom of their own forces, will dominate the contest. We must provide different capabilities to the forces that operate in physical areas, and in future crises be able to offer military response options, not only different, but sometimes they will be the only ones possible…”
Main Cyber Defence Spanish institutions attended the seminar, showing their experience and view about those Cyber Defence and Security challenges:
- Joint Cyberspace Command (MCCE): Captain D. Manuel Alvargonzález, Chief of Staff of the MCCE
- National Cryptologic Center (CCN): Lieutenant Colonel D. Pablo López, Head of the Regulatory Area and Security Services National Cryptologic Center CCN-CERT
- National Cybersecurity Institute of Spain (INCIBE): Mr. Manuel Gómez Hidalgo. Deputy Director of INCIBE-CERT Services.
As well as presentations from the most outstanding Spanish companies in this field: TELEFONICA, THALES Spain and DLT Code.
The protection of Cyberspace entrusted to the CERTs (Computer Emergency Response Team) is closely linked to the protection of Critical Infrastructures, in which the CERTs are physically located by definition. Being the physical protection of the physical infrastructure of the CERTs a necessary condition so that they can maintain their operational capabilities in Cyberspace.
In this context, the organization of the Cyber Defense Forum invited HISPANO VEMA to show its international experience in the protection of critical infrastructures against CBRN threats (threats with chemical, biological or radiological agents).
Under the title of “Physical Protection of Critical Infrastructures: a key element in Cybersecurity”, some of the main challenges for the maintenance of CERTs Operational Capabilities in a scenario of attacks with chemical, biological or radiological agents. Hispano Vema showed its international experience in the management of CBRN threats developed in projects and programs with the Armed Forces, Security and Defense Agencies and Emergency Agencies in more than 40 countries.
During the presentation, Mr. Rafael Arruga Arruga (Director of Business Development Hispano Vema), explained two main levels in terms of said protection: COLPRO collective protection (following the guidelines of the STANAG 2515 ATP Collective Protection in a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Environment) and decontamination (following the guidelines of the STANAG 2352 Chemical, Biological, Radiological (CBRN) Defense Equipment –Operational Guidelines).
The great challenge in decontamination in Critical Infrastructure focuses on the decontamination of electronic equipment, which by definition cannot be decontaminated using conventional water-based decontamination technologies (since water would damage the integrity and functionality of electronic equipment).
That is why the decontamination of electronic equipment requires new decontamination technologies, which are not based on water. To provide effective decontamination of chemical, biological or radiological agents while maintaining the functionality of electronic equipment.
Within this framework of new non-aqueous decontamination technologies, Hispano Vema presented two types of decontamination technologies, based on: 1) Surface adsorption of chemical agents on chemically modified silicas and transport of complex organic compounds in volatile media and 2) Plasma de hydrogen peroxide.
Those attending the Forum highlighted the importance of protecting critical physical infrastructures against CBRN threats, as an essential requirement to ensure the operational capabilities of CERTs in their work to protect against threats in Cyberspace.
