Baku Forum hears Estonia’s blueprint for cyber resilience

Estonia has established a specialized cybersecurity cluster within its digital sector and continues to place strong emphasis on international cooperation in addressing cyber threats, said Doris Põld, the CEO of Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications. 

Speaking during a panel discussion at the 4th National Cybersecurity Forum in Baku, Põld said the cluster brings together companies with specialized expertise and cybersecurity products, creating new opportunities for collaboration and innovation, Caliber.Az repoirts via local media.

“Cooperation with such companies opens up broad opportunities for joint work. We are focused on developing cybersecurity competencies, implementing international projects, and promoting cybersecurity best practices across other sectors of the economy. It is very important to understand that this cannot be achieved alone,” she said.

Põld stressed that international cooperation had been instrumental in helping Estonia mitigate the impact of the large-scale cyberattack it experienced in 2007, an event that became a turning point in the country’s approach to digital security.

“As a country, we cannot separate cyberspace from cybersecurity. That is why the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence is located in Estonia. It all began in 2007, when Estonia became the first country to face a large-scale cyberattack. Despite the serious nature of the attack, the country managed to avoid critical disruptions to the functioning of the state. Since then, cybersecurity has become one of the key pillars of our development, and many companies have grown as a result of the demand for relevant solutions,” Põld noted.

She added that Estonia currently ranks third in the Global Cybersecurity Index, reflecting the country’s continued commitment to strengthening its digital resilience.

“However, we still have work to do in order to move higher. Around 39,000 people are employed in the digital technology sector, and its annual turnover amounts to €12 billion, approximately 60% of which comes from exports,” she said.

By Vafa Guliyeva