Ireland, Microsoft join forces to boost national cybersecurity – EURACTIV.com
Ireland’s government has joined a programme run by tech giant Microsoft to strengthen national resilience against cyberattacks.
The Microsoft Government Security Programme facilitates information exchanges on threats and vulnerabilities, access to source code, and technical details about Microsoft products, which Minister for State Ossian Smyth noted on Wednesday (15 June) were widely used in Ireland by both public and private bodies.
“This new partnership between Microsoft and Ireland will be a key enabler in protecting the State’s digital infrastructure from cyber threats,” Smyth said. More than 45 countries and international organisations currently participate in the programme.
Attention to cybersecurity is rising globally, particularly in light of the war in Ukraine, which opened with a cyberattack launched just an hour before Russia’s land invasion began.
Ireland itself has been on the receiving end of crippling attacks. Last year, the country’s health service was the target of a significant ransomware attack, which led to the shut down of IT systems across the country and widespread disruption and backlogs in hospitals.
The attack was initiated in May, with 95% of systems reestablished by September, and it was warned earlier this year that the overall cost of the assault could reach up to €100 million.
“Microsoft and the [National Cyber Security Centre] NCSC have worked closely together on several cybersecurity issues over the past several years,” said Dr Richard Browne, Director of Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), on a visit to Microsoft’s headquarters in the US this week.
“Today’s announcement formalises that cooperation. Participation in Microsoft’s Government Security Program provides another important resource which the NCSC can use in defending the government and critical infrastructure from the persistent threat of cyber-attacks.”
Gloss