OSCE promotes classification system for cyber incidents to strengthen cyber security in Ukraine

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) organized a workshop on cyber incident classification for 15 cyber security policy and technical experts from Ukraine, including two women and 13 men. The workshop, held on 29 January, focused on the development and implementation of a national cyber incident classification system, a common scheme for understanding and defining what a cyber incident is, that ensures consistency in crisis management tools and plans.

With the exponential increase of cyberattacks targeting the country, experts stressed the importance of establishing such a system to ensure effective prioritization and management, particularly for incidents impacting critical infrastructure. The workshop built upon the knowledge and expertise gathered in previous similar events, tailored to Ukraine.

Yurii Romanchuk, Head of the Cyber Diplomacy Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, stated that “we are particularly interested in developing a unified taxonomy for cyber incident classification, one that will be regularly updated, clearly communicated and effectively utilized by all stakeholders. Interagency co-operation and information exchange within the OSCE framework will significantly enhance the efficiency of incident response at both national and international levels.”

“Developing a national cyber incident classification system is a key step in managing the thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of cyber threats that Ukraine faces daily,” emphasized John Schabedoth, Cyber Foreign Policy Staff at the German Federal Foreign Office.

Alban Andreu, Advisor at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, added: “France supports the OSCE Secretariat’s efforts to implement confidence-building measure 15 (CBM 15) on the protection of critical infrastructure to contribute to capacity-building at national and regional levels. The more we are grounded in concrete outcomes, such as this dedicated workshop for Ukraine, the more we strive for resilience and cooperation in cyberspace.”

Participants also engaged in a table-top exercise aimed at exploring the practical application of the OSCE’s 16 cyber/ICT security confidence-building measures (CBMs). These measures are designed to address misunderstandings and misperceptions in cyberspace by fostering transparency, communication and co-operation between the OSCE participating States. The exercise demonstrated how CBMs can help prevent escalation during a cyber incident and highlighted the critical role of cross-border collaboration in protecting critical infrastructure.

The workshop is part of the “Facilitation of the Development and Implementation of National Cyber Incident Severity Scales (NCISS) and Related Measures to Protect Critical Infrastructures” project, funded by France and Germany.