UNIDO and Kaspersky Lab Host Joint Seminar on Industrial Cybersecurity at BRICS Ministerial Meeting 

August 16, 2024 – At the 8th Meeting of the Ministers of Industry of BRICS, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Kaspersky Lab hosted a seminar on Industrial Cybersecurity: Global Cases for BRICS, organized under the UNIDO Global Alliance on Artificial Intelligence for Industry and Manufacturing (AIM Global). The Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center (SMIC) was showcased during the webinar to facilitate the discussion on industrial cybersecurity and capacity building.

The seminar opened with welcoming remarks from Mr. Ciyong Zou, Deputy to the Director General and Managing Director of UNIDO’s Directorate for Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development. Mr. Zou underscored the importance of collaboration in addressing the rising challenges of industrial cybersecurity and integrating digital technologies with resilience.

SMIC’s Role in Advancing Cybersecurity Education

In his presentation, Mr. Zoran Jelicic,SMIC, highlighted the Center’s innovative approach to advancing industrial cybersecurity. Jelicic outlined SMIC’s model, which was recently showcased to BRICS representatives, emphasizing its partnership with the private sector to deliver specialized courses designed to meet the demands of modern industry. He stressed that industrial cybersecurity is one of SMIC’s priorities, with the Center focusing on equipping industries with the knowledge and tools needed to secure their operations against the growing threat of cyberattacks, positioning SMIC to drive industrial cybersecurity standards and education.

The SMIC team shared insights into how institutions can facilitate the adoption of Cyber Immunity into industrial practices. By leveraging this innovative approach, SMIC aims to help industries integrate built-in protection into their systems, enhancing resilience against cyberattacks. The model promotes a secure digital environment and strengthens industries’ capacities to withstand the growing challenges posed by cyber threats.

Cyber Immunity and Resilience

Following Jelicic’s presentation, the seminar explored the concept of cyber immunity, a novel approach to IT system design that incorporates built-in protection against cyber threats. Vladimir Slinko, Senior Technology Advisor at Kaspersky Lab, delved into real-world success stories, while Andrey Strelkov, Head of the Industrial Cybersecurity Product Line at Kaspersky, emphasized the importance of strengthening cyber-physical systems to boost industrial resilience.

Optimizing Industrial Data

Further discussions on optimizing industrial data efficiency were led by Denis Bakhaev, CEO of Aprotech, and Ding Lu, Deputy Director of the Standardization Department and Testing Center at the Institute of Instrument Engineering and Economics in China. Both experts explored cutting-edge solutions for enhancing data management in smart manufacturing environments, an area that intersects significantly with SMIC’s goals in industrial innovation.

Panel Discussion: Addressing the Growing Cyber Threat

The event concluded with a panel discussion, where the expanding scale of cyber threats in industrial sectors took center stage. Participants stressed the importance of SMIC’s contribution to industrial cybersecurity education, recognizing that securing industries for the future will require high-quality solutions and continuous capacity building. The panel agreed that improving digital literacy and promoting robust cybersecurity practices are key to mitigating cyber risks.

Through this seminar, SMIC, alongside UNIDO and Kaspersky Lab, reaffirmed its commitment to leading efforts in the global fight against industrial cyber threats. With a strong focus on education and public-private collaboration, SMIC is at the forefront of shaping a secure and resilient future for smart manufacturing.

For further information contact:

Aleksei SAVRASOV
Industrial Development Officer
a.savrasov@unido.org

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