Thanks to the outstanding expertise and experience of Hungarian specialists in organising cyber security exercises, Hungary is to host the first joint cyber defence exercise of the Central European Cyber Security Platform. Hungary will also serve as chief planner of the event to be held in May 2014 in Budapest, with the exercise being designed and executed under the coordination of Hungarian experts.

Among other issues, an agreement was made on this arrangement by the participants of the conference entitled Central European Cyber Security Platform (CECSP) organised in Prague on 18–19 December in the attendance of the V4 countries and Austria. By setting up the platform, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Austria aim to assist each other in the future in the field of cyber security by sharing information, best practices and methods, in order to deal with cyber threats.

Through joint cyber security exercises, the enhancement of technical solutions and special training, the competent organisations of participating countries may elevate cyber security cooperation to an operative level in future. All this will lay the groundwork for shared future tasks in the fight against global-scale virus and hacker attacks.

At the inaugural meeting of the Platform — now the second meeting of participating countries this year — Hungary was represented by a delegation comprising the President of the National Security Authority of the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, the head of the cyber defence centre of the National Security Authority, the leader of the newly established Government Incident Response Centre, and the representative of the Communication Information and Information Protection Subdepartment of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Hungary.

Experts from the participating countries shared with each other the procedures applied and the results achieved in cyber security in their respective countries, and also presented technical solutions in support of their cyber security efforts, through which they may contribute to resolving the joint tasks of the Platform. The presentations of the Hungarian delegation focused on the cyber security work performed by the National Security Authority, the leading role of Hungary in respect of NATO and EU cyber security, as well as domestic incident response management expertise and achievements.

Since Hungary holds the rotating presidency of the V4 until June 2014, the newly forged cooperation in the reinforcement of cyber security in Central Europe may also contribute to the effectiveness of the current Hungarian presidency.

(Ministry of Public Administration and Justice)