On Monday, 5th February 2024, an initiative was announced at the MITA Data Centre aimed at bolstering the cybersecurity of businesses across our nation.
Press Release – 5th February 2024 – MITA Data Centre, St. Venera
The Minister for Economy, Enterprise, and Strategic Projects, Hon. Silvio Schembri, unveiled a scheme designed to enhance the security and resilience of businesses by providing specialized cybersecurity services and expertise. This collaborative effort involves the Ministry of Economy, Enterprise, and Strategic Projects, along with the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre (NCC), with MITA spearheading the Cyber Assess Scheme.
In his address during the scheme’s launch, Minister Silvio Schembri emphasized the indispensable role of digital technology in modern businesses. ‘Just like with our homes and shops we install alarms, likewise we must install a secure digital infrastructure to protect our enterprises from cyber-attacks.’ The minister said.
Minister Schembri underscored that this scheme is just one component of a broader array of initiatives geared towards this objective. He noted the previous launch of the Mind the Gap scheme and hinted at the forthcoming expansion of the co-financed CYBER+ALT scheme, courtesy of national funds and the Digital Europe Programme (DEP).
Funded by €150,000 from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, part of the NextGenerationEU Programme, the primary objective of Cyber Assess is to empower Maltese businesses by offering various cybersecurity services, ultimately fortifying their cybersecurity.
‘A measure like this continues to help us continue to advance further in the digital revolution we are living. I remind you that our country has taken giant steps forward in this field, especially in terms of connectivity and online public services, so much so that we have already reached the goals set in the Decade Digital of the European Union in these two aspects.’ The Minister Schembri said.
Ing. Emanuel Darmanin, CEO of MITA, elaborated on the Cyber Assess initiative, highlighting its focus on assessing the digital systems and infrastructure of at least 30 local businesses to enhance cybersecurity resilience.
For those interested in participating, further details can be found at https://ncc-mita.gov.mt/cyber-assess/.