Technology and cybersecurity are of crucial importance in this COVID era. One of the most striking and exciting transformations caused by the pandemic has been our transition to the digital ‘everything’, both in our professional and also in our personal lives. I am glad that Cyber Polygon has proved itself as one of those brilliant initiatives that address the need for developing and enhancing global cyber resilience in the fight against cybercrime and cyberattacks.

One of the core pillars of INTERPOL Global Cybercrime Programme is cyber capabilities development. We support our 194 member countries by developing cyber skills, knowledge and technical capabilities that are customised to their needs. The aim is to enhance their ability to better prevent, detect and investigate cybercrime globally. In this regard, INTERPOL is pleased to once again join Cyber Polygon. We will continue to work closely with private industry partners in this endeavour.

Trainings play a key role in building and testing organisational preparedness, which is essential to respond effectively during an actual cyber crisis. It is vital to include public and private sector actors to build resiliency in our global system.

Cybercriminals thrive in times of crisis. Strategies and response plans to help combat online predators continue to be essential for every organisation. With disruption of our current global magnitude and scale, an equally vital antidote is the ability to come together as colleagues, business leaders and geographies to cultivate ideas and relationships, and to share best practices and information that help fortify all our defences.

The results we have seen following this training prove just how important it is to have an established information exchange. To cope with the challenges of the future, we need to get to know each other, build a trusted environment around us and between one another.

Cybercrime is now more than just the money stolen: human lives and our environment could potentially be at risk. The probability of a global cyber crisis is growing every day. In order to prevent a catastrophe, it is necessary to invest in the protection of each individual company, increase the level of cyber literacy and develop competencies of technical specialists. That is the reasoning behind the Cyber Polygon exercise, which has already proven itself effective. I hope that subsequent exercises will bring even more value to the international community.