Switzerland adopts strategy to fight cyber risks

According to a statement released by the government, its plan relies on the involvement of official agencies as well as a range of other stakeholders from the world of commerce-particularly those involved with critical infrastructures.

The strategy, which should be in place by 2017, is detailed in a document published in German and French by the Federal Authority of the Swiss Confederation.

It will require the hiring of experts in IT risks to provide support to federal and local authorities as they implement measures to reduce the risk of a cyber attack on the country’s critical infrastructures.

hide

The goal, according to the document, is to have a structure in place that will perform full time surveillance against cyber risks and will monitor all networks linked to the Swiss Confederation.

The plan is organised into four key strands: prevention of risks, reaction to attacks, management of crises and the maintenance of a set of measures designed to prevent or react to cyber threats.

In total 16 actions will be undertaken by the government to implement the strategy.

A new body will be created to manage its adoption. It will be attached to the Federal Finance Department, the Swiss equivalent to a finance ministry, and its first task will be to coordinate with the federal and cantonal governments.

Some 30 positions for IT experts will be created as the strategy is pushed forward, the plan states.

The final goal is to involve, along with several government bodies, companies that work in the provision of IT systems and processes.

The project excludes mitigating aggressive cyber acts that arise in case of war. This is rather the responsibility of the Swiss army.

But it aims to use the expertise accumulated by the Swiss army in the field of cyber risks to strengthen the ability of other sectors to cope with their threat.