Minister for sustained funding for cyber security

Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka stressed the importance of preparedness in terms of cyber attacks and the importance of sustained funding in this regard, said the Ministry of Transport and Communications in a press release on Monday.

“In Finland, we have a long tradition of efficient preparedness schemes in both the public and private sectors. The operating environment is being continuously monitored and the preparedness plans to respond to various threats are rehearsed on a regular basis. This autumn, we will propose even closer cooperation between the police, the Customs and the Border Guard. Already in the spring, the authorities urged different operators to prepare for the rising threat of cyber influence activities," said Harakka.

The Transport and Communications Agency Traficom reported on Monday that the number of cyber attacks has increased globally this year. After a quieter period in the spring, activity towards Finland has also increased.

The National Cyber Security Centre at Traficom has estimated that the threat level in cyber security has risen in Finland. Despite the increase, the networks operate as normal.

“In public administration, investments are made in strengthening cyber security, while with regard to Finnish companies, improvement is sought by means of the information security voucher. Rising threat levels call for sustained funding for cyber security,” Harakka said.