OSCE helps future generation of Ukraine’s law enforcers and emergency personnel build skills for safe work in cyberspace

Modern law enforcers need to be especially vigilant and know how to safely use IT technologies in order not to compromise people’s personal data, disrupt investigation or make their institutions vulnerable to attacks of criminals. Piloting of a new course on cyberhygiene developed by the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine’s future law enforcers and emergency response personnel started with the first three-days session organized in Kamianets-Podilsky, Khmelnytska Oblast on 6-9 July 2023.

Twenty students of universities of Ukraine’s Ministry of Interior from across the country are first trainees who are testing the new course. The training covers basics of cyber safety rules, including ways to protect personal data, main threats and risks related to use of e-mail, social networks and other tools, security tips for IT-equipment, including mobile phones, features of malware and needed physical measures to ensure protection of information resources.

“Successful cyber-attack can slow-down or totally disrupt work of an institution, law enforcement and emergency services cannot afford taking such risks, as often people’s lives and well-being depend on their swift and efficient work. As human factor is a key vulnerability in digital world, we hope these trainings will increase immunity of these Ukrainian agencies against masterminds of cybercrime,” – said Pierre Baussand, OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme Manager.   

The course will be tested at three other sessions with at least 80 students involved.  Based on the outcomes of the piloting, the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine will refine the course, train the trainers and equip them with the necessary materials. The goal is to make cyberhygiene an integral part of the usual educational process for the institutions that train law enforcers and personnel of emergency services.   

These efforts are part of a project implemented by the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine in partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and with financial support from Organisation’s participating States and partners, full list of the Programme’s donors is available here.