INTERVIEW


cybersecurityeurope PAGE 48


stakeholders, in particular with the


public and private sectors. The German Alliance for Cybersecurity (ACS), a body initiated by the BSI, is a good example of a joint platform that includes valuable recommendations and ‘best practices‚ to protect enterprise networks against cyber attack incidents, for both technical and non-technical audiences. The ACS also promotes and organises meetings and workshops to foster information exchange.


CSE: In many European organisations, responsibility for cyber governance is now shifting from a largely IT responsibility to a responsibility that is shared with senior executives in


non-technological roles. What


effect will this transition have on enterprise cyber governance as we enter the 2020s?


AS: This shift is really a necessary and natural


development, I would say. The


secure handling of all information has become one of the key factors for the success of a company. Subsequently, the corresponding infrastructure – i.e., the information technology – has [what could be called] existential meaning for every organisation. This development has changed the perception of governance- and security professionals in many organisations: CEOs used to think that IT experts would prevent – or at least decelerate – organisational decisions. It was more comfortable to ignore them. Now, they are often sitting right next to the board to influence strategic thinking.


CSE: How does the BSI work with non- technical executive management in German organisations to help to improve understanding of the cyber security threats they face, and to improve their sum knowledge of enterprise cyber security practice?


AS: [It is true that] many executives have already realised that information security is now a prerequisite for a successful


[transformational] digitisation process. Hence, they are more open for arguments and measurements with regard to cyber security than they were three or four years ago. The BSI takes part in various events, working groups or publications – technical as well as non-technical – to improve the awareness in German organisations. We also attend events focused on CEOs and board-level executives, hoping to achieve a drop-down of cyber security understandings to every part of the company. But we’re not only there to advocate a cause. It’s more like a dialogue.


CSE: The BSI seems far more involved in the area of secure certification than are national cyber security agencies in other European states. If that’s correct, can you explain why this is?


AS: Well, in co-operation with our partner organisations from other EU member states, the BSI is putting much


IT now has existential meaning for every organisation... That’s changed the perception of governance.


significant effort into cyber security certification. Certification helps to raise the bar for attackers. It demands a common minimum degree of security.


It enables


regulations and procurement to make use of


measurable minimum requirements


for products and services. It also further enables industry to sell security based on an independent assessment of their offers. It is one of the motors of innovation in the realm of IT security – as security often does not sell by itself. When we mandate the usage of IT for every citizen, we need to make sure it fulfils highest standards to protect private information.


ACCREDITATION Words | James Hayes Photography | BSI


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