From: mk_thisisit
Effective cybersecurity relies heavily on continuous training, skill development, and robust partnerships across national and international levels, as well as with the private sector [00:09:44].
Key Principles
Cybersecurity is viewed as a “team game” where no single entity can succeed alone [01:34:02], [01:35:00]. Cooperation must be based on trust, with all partners contributing information and resources [01:27:27], [01:28:06], [01:28:15]. This fosters a “win-win” scenario where mutual feeding of information enhances overall security [01:28:20], [01:28:24].
Cultivating Talent and Expertise
Poland invests in developing highly skilled cybersecurity professionals within its armed forces. The strength of Poland’s cyberspace defense forces lies in intellect and creative thinking, comprising the largest group of cybersecurity experts in Poland’s state administration [00:00:15], [00:08:35], [00:08:43], [00:42:42]. Most officers hold Master of Science degrees in computer science, cybersecurity, or cryptology [00:38:36], [00:38:40].
Key initiatives for talent development include:
- Military General Secondary School of Information Technology (WAT): Established to specifically deal with cybersecurity [00:29:06], [00:40:25].
- Increased Military Academy Admissions: Boosting the number of students in cybersecurity programs [00:40:19], [00:40:22].
- Cybermix and Academic Legion Programs: Projects aimed at producing new talent [00:40:26], [00:40:28].
- Special Allowances: Introduced in 2020 for soldiers performing cybersecurity tasks, supplemented by teleinformatic benefits for state administration cybersecurity personnel [00:41:12], [00:41:22], [00:44:11]. These can reach up to 45,000 gross per month [00:44:09], [00:44:11].
- Unconventional Thinking: Encouraging individuals with experience beyond traditional military roles, including police officers and industry experts [00:21:50], [00:21:59].
International Cooperation
International collaborations are crucial for enhancing cybersecurity capabilities and sharing threat intelligence.
Training Partnerships
- Israeli Army: Polish soldiers are trained by the Israeli army, leveraging their expertise [00:00:12], [00:42:31], [00:42:37].
- United States Armed Forces: Polish experts engage in training and information exchange with US soldiers, considered among the best in the world [00:42:28], [00:42:29].
- Ukrainian Partners: Poland actively supports Ukraine by training Ukrainian soldiers in cybersecurity, sharing knowledge on APT group tactics, techniques, and procedures [00:15:59], [00:16:07], [00:16:11]. Ukrainian reports acknowledge Poland’s information helped counteract attacks [00:16:19], [00:16:21].
Strategic Alliances and Forums
- NATO Summit (2016): Decision made in Warsaw to treat cyberspace as an operational domain, obliging NATO members to build defense capabilities [00:02:11], [00:02:13], [00:02:27].
- US Bek Command (now Cyber Command): Poland signed a cooperation agreement in 2019 [01:50:51], [01:50:53]. The commander of the US Back Command appointed General Karol Molenda as chairman of the “SABE Commanders Forum” [00:30:31], [00:34:02], [00:50:28]. This forum aims to present the “Polish way of building command” in cybersecurity to other allied commanders [00:39:50], [00:50:46], [00:51:05].
- Lock Shields Exercise: Poland consistently performs well in the world’s largest cybersecurity exercises, achieving third place this year and second last year, demonstrating its potential and competence [00:47:14], [00:47:18], [00:47:22], [00:47:23].
Private Sector Engagement
Cooperation with private “big-tech” companies is vital for sharing information and mitigating challenges and development in the tech industry.
- Information Exchange Agreements: Agreements with big-tech companies facilitate expert-level discussions and early warning of vulnerabilities in their products [01:16:57], [01:17:01], [01:31:01].
- Mutual Support: Cyberspace defense forces inform tech creators about discovered vulnerabilities or zero-day exploits used by adversaries [01:31:54], [01:31:57]. This ensures mutual benefit and enhances the security of IT solutions utilized by the military [01:39:39], [01:40:00].
Internal Collaboration and Awareness
Within Poland, a cybersecurity ecosystem has been built to improve information exchange about threats [00:09:54], [00:09:56].
- Weekly Meetings: Regular weekly meetings are held with key cybersecurity stakeholders from various structures, including ABW assignment units [01:10:16], [01:10:18], [01:10:23].
- User Awareness Campaigns: Proactive measures like “pulp timing” and “Red timing” are conducted in military networks to test and improve user security awareness, simulating attacks like phishing to gauge reactions [01:33:36], [01:33:39], [01:33:41], [01:34:51]. These activities have proven effective in increasing awareness, even among management staff [01:34:15], [01:34:27].