Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the world of cybersecurity was clouded in mystery for most Irish people. Today, a great many have been impacted by cybercrime in some way or another. The attack on the HSE of May 2021 resulted in months of disruption in the health service, and many people have experienced attempts to steal their personal or financial information through the large variety of online scams which emerged during the pandemic.
The response of the Government to this threat has for a long time been inadequate, leaving it to play catchup in the wake of attacks. But there are signs Government agencies and society in general are starting to get a handle on the issue. Much of this has been led by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), an agency that was found badly under-resourced after the HSE attack but which has since received a significant boost in funding and staff numbers.
This week the NCSC urged the Government to introduce measures to improve resilience in this area, including establishing a register of essential entities in the State and introducing legislation to compel essential service providers to improve their security. Further evidence of increasing proficiency in this area is the growing awareness within Government of the threat of online disinformation.
Taking a lesson from EU partners, Government officials here are liaising with social media companies to monitor for potential disinformation regarding the current debate on Ireland’s international security policy. These developments mean Ireland has gone from a victim of cyberattacks to a country able to share its expertise with other states, including the lessons learned from the HSE attack. Some of this is done through the cybersecurity Centre of Excellence in Estonia, where an Irish Defence Forces officer is stationed, and some is done bilaterally, including assistance provided by the NCSC to Ukraine in dealing with Russian cyberattacks.
Defence against cyberthreats is complex and best done in cooperation with other states. Now, Ireland can itself bring something to the table.