Intelligence, data and cybersecurity services is how Security made in Luxembourg could be summarized. The agency is also at the helm of Cybersecurity Week Luxembourg, an event for those who aspire to a safer Internet.
by: Delphine Sabattier
photo: Serge Deuces / Silicon Luxembourg
featured: Pascal Steichen
I love you. What if it all started with a poisoned love letter sent as an attachment in the middle of spring? Remember: we were just entering the new millennium; the computer worm “I love you” was decimating three million machines in the world in less than a week, and ultimately causing billions of dollars in damage. This viral bomb will have at least had a beneficial effect: it has forced states to organize and cooperate. Thus, in 2000, Europe set out to fight the infection. In Luxembourg, a major preventive protection policy was launched: the birth of CASES (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Services), an initiative of the Ministry of Economy that provides professionals, public and private actors, with awareness, prevention and education services in the field of cybersecurity.
The kit has been strengthened. Today, the Security Made In Lëtzebuerg g.i.e. (SECURITYMADEIN.LU) oversees all cybersecurity missions for the economy of the Grand Duchy. “We are a parastatal structure. Our mission is not to manage state security, but to address the protection issues of all citizens and companies,” says Pascal Steichen, who has headed the security agency since the beginning. With its European counterparts, SECURITYMADEIN.LU shares sensitive information, best practices and builds projects to create a safer Internet. Through the years, the Luxembourg agency has also been active and able to convince its partners across borders.
“Our mission is not to manage state security, but to address the protection issues of all citizens and companies.”
For example, Belgium is currently using a SECURITYMADEIN.LU tool to manage its cyber risks. The Awareness and Governance Department (CASES) supports the CCB (Belgian Security Centre) to assess the probability of attacks and damage and defines a list of priorities to be implemented. “The advantage of our tool is that it is based on a knowledge base composed of all the analyses already carried out in the past. It creates scenarios that lead to a catalogue of measures. To do this, we combine software intelligence and human intelligence, in particular to estimate the impact based on a good understanding of the company,” explains Pascal Steichen.
The other cybersecurity weapon developed by SECURITYMADEIN.LU is CIRCL, a team of emergency workers, twelve “cyber firefighters” who intervene in the event of an cyberattack. They help victims understand what is happening, give them the keys and indicators to stop the spread and return to normal activity. Anyone can reach out to them. They are connected to CERTs from other countries, which allows great efficiency when there are foreign attackers.
European collaborations have thus been strengthening in recent years. However, one element that is always difficult to master in cybersecurity is the educating of users to these dangers and the means to protect themselves.
Also, SECURITYMADEIN.LU coordinates Cybersecurity Week Luxembourg (CSWL), an umbrella label that hosts events and open days of all types, for all audiences, but whose common objective is to curb cybercrime. Luxembourg will also be present at the International Forum on Cybersecurity in France (FIC) via a joint stand managed by SECURITYMADEIN.LU, whose CEO is also a member of the event’s advisory committee. The challenge behind all these initiatives is not an easy one: to ensure European and international security together, each at its own level, so that the Internet can work at full capacity!
Pascal Steichen’s advice to new visitors to Cybersecurity Week Luxembourg:
According to who you are, there are days and events not to be missed.
- If you work in a cybersecurity startup: Remember October 15 to participate in the “Cyber Investors Day“. You will meet major European and global investors in cybersecurity.
- If you are looking to find customers and expand your network: come to the PwC Luxembourg Cybersecurity Day on 24 October.
- If you are interested in technology: In the second week, come to the Hack.lu, where 500 specialists, researchers and cybersecurity experts from all over the world will present their discoveries. During the conference, it is also the place to find the talent your company is looking for… or the job of your dreams!
Glossary:
- CASES: Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Services
- CERT: Computer Security Incident Response Team
- CIRC / CIRCL: Computer Incident Response Center / Computer Incident Response Center Luxembourg
- FIC: Forum International de la cybersécurité
- ENISA: European Union Agency for Cybersecurity
