Turkey to hold cyber security drill in 2013

ANKARA

Transportation Minister Yıldırım (L) and National Intelligence Organization (MİT) chief Fidan (2nd L) attend the first meeting of cyber security board meeting in Ankara. Turkey will conduct a cyber security exercise in 2013. AA photo

Turkey will conduct a cyber security exercise in early 2013, Transportation Minister Binali Yıldırım said yesterday.

A draft of a cyber security strategy and action plan, prepared by the Information and Communications Authority (BTK) and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBİTAK) will be presented to the Cyber Security Board, the minister said at the board’s first meeting.

Turkey has been subjected to a growing number of cyber attacks recently and has, in response, sped up its work to improve firewalls protecting the country against virtual attacks.

Some 30 action plans

A board was formed recently to determine the necessary measures that should be taken relating to cyber security and implementing and coordinating such measures. Nearly 30 action plans were in the draft, including expanding cyber security training at the universities, Minister Yıldırım said. Protection of the smart systems of the nation’s highways and bridges against cyber attaks were also included in their work, Yıldırım said. The minster rejected the idea that the measures would include censorship.
Yıldırım likened Turkey’s struggle against cyber threats to the fight against terror. “Easy to attack, but difficult to defend. Cheap to attack, but defense requires high costs,” the minister said. Turkey’s top security board also discussed challenges regarding cyber-security in its meeting Oct. 1.

The Turkish government announced plans, which come on the heels of numerous attacks staged as protests against state websites, including a National Cyber Early Warning and Action Center to combat hacking groups. Redhack, a socialist hacking group, has frequently targeted government ministers and the police in response to current events; they have also received support for some operations from the international hacking group Anonymous.

As a matter of national security, Turkey launched its first earth observation satellite Göktürk 2 on Dec. 18, which will ease Turkey’s reliance on foreign intelligence.