Bulgaria has been a strong collaborator in bolstering cybersecurity resilience in Europe while fostering cooperation with other regions, including Arab countries in the Mediterranean.

As part of the ITU Regional Initiatives, Bulgaria hosted six ITU cybersecurity forums for Europe between 2008 and 2024 that paved the way for large-scale events; these have included the ITU Cybersecurity Forum and CyberDrill for Europe and the Mediterranean, a 2024 gathering that featured a cybersecurity forum, technical training workshops, and cyber exercises.

Participants from more than 30 countries included national computer emergency response teams and computer security incident response teams, government representatives, and stakeholders from the private sector. The event’s themes, “reflect, share, learn, and practice,” promoted a collaborative environment for reviewing strategies, sharing best practices, tapping into expert knowledge, and practicing skills through exercises.

Participants delved into malware analysis, discussed network compromise to ransomware attack scenarios, and gained insights from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity.

“We are delighted to have contributed to advancing cybersecurity in Bulgaria through efforts in digital infrastructure, upskilling, strategic workshops, and capacity development,” said Dr Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau at ITU. “Building cybersecurity capabilities is akin to reinforcing the backbone of a digital society, essential for ensuring resilience in the digital economy.”

The event was organized by the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) and co-hosted by Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport and Communications and Ministry of Electronic Governance. It aligned with the ITU Regional Initiative for Europe on Trust and Confidence in Telecommunications/Information and Communication Technologies, as outlined by the World Telecommunication Development Conference 2022 (WTDC-22). Bulgaria also hosted one of ITU’s earliest CyberDrills, in 2012.

CyberDrills act as forums for discussing cybersecurity challenges, sharing information, and enhancing public-private partnerships. ITU has ​conducted more than 50 CyberDrills involving more than 160 countries.

This is an ITU Development #DigitalImpactUnlocked story