Foto: BB.LV / хакер
Latvia not only protects its own information systems from cyberattacks but also helps other European countries counter similar threats. Data exchange among specialists allows for the identification of the actions of the same attackers across different states. This was stated in an interview with the LETA agency by Dana Ludviga, a security analyst for information systems and head of international cooperation at Cert.lv. According to her, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, and Poland have been facing cyber threats from Russia for a long time. This experience has compelled the countries to develop their own defense capabilities and simultaneously made their specialists sought after by international partners. ### "We Did Not Have the Privilege to Choose" Ludviga noted that the Baltic states, Finland, and Poland are on the eastern flank of NATO and the EU and directly face Russian methods of conducting cyberattacks. > "We did not have the privilege to choose; we simply have to defend ourselves, and this has hardened us. It is encouraging that the rest of Europe sees this and learns from us. The skills of our cybersecurity specialists are indeed very high," emphasized the representative of Cert.lv. According to her, Latvia's resilience to cyber threats has become one of the important advantages of the country in international cooperation. In particular, joint operations with the Cyber Command of the Canadian Armed Forces allow foreign specialists to gain practical experience directly in Latvia. As Ludviga explained, Canadian partners themselves note the value of such work. ### The Attack on Latvijas Valsts meži Helped Protect Other Countries One example of international cooperation was the cyberattack on the Latvian state enterprise Latvijas Valsts meži (LVM). According to Cert.lv, the same attacker subsequently targeted the Romanian Cadastre and Land Registration Agency, as well as government institutions in Hungary and Bulgaria. Latvian specialists provided international partners with technical data discovered during the investigation of the attack on LVM. > "We promptly shared with our partners the indicators we found during the investigation of the attack on LVM. Thus, our experience contributed to the protective measures of other countries," explained Ludviga. Such indicators allow cybersecurity specialists to recognize signs of known attacks and check whether similar methods are being used against their organizations. ### 30 Experts from Five Countries Searched for Threats in Latvian Networks Another area of cooperation has been joint operations to search for cyber threats in government information systems. In May, the eighth such operation was completed, involving 30 technical experts from five countries - Canada, Ireland, Norway, Poland, and the United Kingdom. Over three weeks, specialists jointly examined the networks, information systems, and digital infrastructure of Latvian state and public institutions, trying to identify possible signs of cyber threats. The operation included both military and civilian specialists. According to Ludviga, such interaction shows that in modern cybersecurity, the traditional division between military and civilian structures is becoming less significant. ### Why is it Important to Share Information Even About Prevented Attacks? At the CyberChess conference, special attention was paid to the exchange of confidential information about cyber threats among trusted partners. Ludviga emphasized that closed cooperation channels allow states to share information not only about already occurred incidents but also about attempts at attacks that have been successfully prevented in a timely manner. This enables other countries to prepare in advance for similar threats. Cert.lv collaborates with security institutions of EU and NATO states, representatives of the public and private sectors, as well as with Europol and law enforcement agencies. Such interaction is aimed not only at preventing cyberattacks but also at identifying the perpetrators and bringing them to justice.
