Georgia has long served as a Russian cyber capabilities testing ground.
This started in 2008 when the nation’s security architecture was weakened by some of the world’s first coordinated cyberattacks while Russia carried out its illegitimate invasion of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Today’s announcement of more than £5 million in new funding represents the next stage of UK assistance for Georgia in cyberspace.
It will enable the Georgian National Security Council to implement its new cyber security policy, allowing them to recognize and thwart assaults from those attempting to jeopardize the security of both Georgia and Europe.
In order to strengthen Georgia’s cyber defenses and capability, the UK will also collaborate directly with that country’s ministry of defense.
Irakli Garibashvili, the prime minister of Georgia, makes the announcement while speaking to the NATO Leaders’ Summit.
Both the prime minister of Georgia and the president of Ukraine are speaking at the Madrid summit of allies.
The security of both nations is essential to the security of NATO and the Euro-Atlantic as a whole as they are both NATO Enhanced Opportunities Partners.
In the past fifteen years, both Ukraine and Georgia have suffered the horrific effects of Russian military aggression, both directly on their soils and indirectly through cyber and other attacks.
An extra package of specifically targeted NATO help, to be agreed upon by leaders in Madrid and centered on greater defense training, will be added to the bilateral UK support for Georgia’s cyber security.
Boris Johnson, the prime minister, said:
Georgians experience daily life on the front lines of Russian invasion.
Putin cannot be permitted to hone his cyber capabilities using Georgia’s national institutions.
With its unrivaled cyber capabilities, the UK will defend not only Georgia but also the UK and all other free democracies that are at risk from Russian hostility.
Since 2018, the National Cyber Security Centre has closely collaborated with its Georgian counterpart, offering training and support to advance the nation’s cyber prowess.
The Government of Georgia, together with foreign allies and the UK’s NCSC, denounced a massive, disruptive cyberattack launched against Georgia by the GRU in October 2019.
Numerous Georgian web hosting companies were impacted by the attack, which resulted in the defacement of websites including those belonging to the Georgian government, courts, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), media, and businesses.
Several national broadcasters also experienced service interruptions.
Plans were outlined in the UK’s Integrated Review, which was published last year, to establish the UK as one of the leading democratic cybernations.
The Prime Minister established the National Cyber Force in addition to the National Cyber Security Centre to transform the UK’s cyber capabilities in order to thwart enemies and safeguard the UK.