The PSD left “much more concerned and uncomfortable” the closed-door hearing of the Defense Minister, who had asked about the recent cyber-attacks against the Ministry and the General Staff of the Armed Forces (EMGFA).
The deputy chairman of the Social Democratic Bank, Joaquim Pinto Moreira, had reservations about the meeting, yet expressed to DN a sense of fear that Helena Carreiras had not provided a “complete answer that would dispel the vague areas that persist in this matter.” “, be “evasive” and “rely on classified information even in matters where it would not be justified”.
On a positive note, according to Pinto Moreira, the minister has “opened an opportunity for the series of initiatives that the PSD had already devised”, to promote debates on cybersecurity and cyber defense, by several officials in the area, such as the Secretary of Digitization Status, Mário Campolargo, the director of the National Security Office, Vice Admiral Gameiro Marques, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Admiral Silva Ribeiro. “The minister has approved this initiative and we believe that the PS will not make it unfeasible,” he assured.
But the “concern” had already started to grow during the previous hearing, this regimental and public hearing, which also took place this Tuesday.
The delegates confirmed that a plan to train soldiers in cyber defense and operations in cyberspace, which should be launched this year, has not yet materialized, despite the defense secretary’s approval of the funds to do so in August.
It was at this time, as DN reported, that the government at the time was informed by US intelligence that the Department of National Defense (MDN) and the General Staff of the Armed Forces (EMGFA) were the target of a serious cyberattack in which classified NATO documents were exfiltrated.
Coverage and Defects
More recently, the EMGFA network has been the target of another cyberattack. Both are being investigated by the Public Prosecution Service and PJ, because there are suspicions of, among other things, espionage.
An expenditure of 11.5 million euros (+ VAT) for nine years (2022-2030) is foreseen for the training plan, of which 1.6 million euros should have already been paid for this year. Three companies have already been invited, two of which are Israeli, and are waiting for the tender.
“The king goes naked” was the phrase Joaquim Pinto Moreira chose to sum up the global balance of (dis)investments in cyber defense, the reduced budget execution and the consequences in sight.
The reason for the delay in the aforementioned training program at EMGFA – where the Cyberdefense Center is located – was one of the questions the PSD put to Helena Carreiras, but the Minister did not respond, as she had not responded to the question by the PSD last week. DN about this situation.
Pinto Moreira deplored the “opacity” and listed the government’s shortcomings in cyber defense at a time when, he stressed, “the number of cyber attacks has grown exponentially and this increase is verified not only in number, but in a degree of increasing complexity and in its ability to affect national networks and critical infrastructures, including those of National Defense”.
Also recalling that “national cyber defense was defined as one of the nine strategic objectives of the mandate of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, in particular to strengthen the capabilities of the EMGFA Cyber Defense Center, thereby they will have more capacity to defend military networks and conduct operations in cyberspace”, the commissioner was outraged that the budget implementation in 2021 for this issue was “only 27%!” used to be. “Madam Minister, forgive me for the common expression, but ‘the king goes naked’!” he criticized.
Helena Carreiras also did not comment on these specific figures and emphasized that an investment of more than 45 million euros is planned by 2030.
Minister guarantees commitment
The minister stressed that “an effort is being made” to “strengthen” cyber defenses, focusing on the aforementioned order to hire training advice, as well as the “purchase of platforms and equipment”, and ensure that “there are funds are available”.
In her maiden speech, this official had pointed out that cyber defense was “an area where the three priorities” she listed at the start of her mandate were “combined”: “a people-centred national defense; modern armed forces prepared for the challenges of the future; and contribute to Portugal’s credibility as a producer of international security”.
The official stressed that “any organization’s cybersecurity and its ability to act relies primarily on its human resources”, as “it is paramount to continue the ongoing work under the Cyber Defense Continue to deepen monitoring. Committee and the training tools essential for the qualification of our human resources”.
Second, in terms of technological capacity, “investments under the military programming law have made it possible to achieve improvements and we intend to strengthen this line of investment in permanent updating. We hope that the National Strategy can be adopted soon in the Council of Ministers of Cyber Defense”
Finally, the minister assured, the government will “continue to deepen this path with national and international partnerships, including in the context of European defense policy, and strengthen our role as a credible ally”.
Finally, he claimed that “problems have all allies”, but that “this does not define our trustworthiness”.
What it defines, he stressed, “is our resilience and our ability to implement solutions to these problems and on that point I assure you that all allies recognize Portugal’s exemplary responsiveness”.
At this hearing, Helena Carreiras announced that the establishment of the Permanent Staff of Soldiers for the Army and Air Force is “in the legislative process”, although she preferred not to commit to dates.
“My hope is that yes, that it goes as soon as possible,” she replied to Chega, who asked her if this process would be completed later this year.
Regarding the state budget, delivered this Monday, in which Defense will have a total consolidated expenditure of 2,584.9 million euros (an increase of 8.3%), highlighting the investment of more than 17 million in the military programming law. Given the estimates for 2022, Chega asked Helena Carreiras whether, given these values, she had “conditions to remain in the position”. To which the minister smiled and declared “certainly so”.
Source: DN
