OSCE holds national table top exercise in Kazakhstan on protecting critical energy infrastructure from cyber-related terrorist attacks

Strengthening preparedness and protection against terrorist attacks aimed at critical energy infrastructure was the focus of a risk-assessment and crisis management exercise held in Kazakhstan’s capital on 28 and 29 November 2018, organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Programme Office in Astana.  

The exercise, which was attended by 17 national experts from the state and the energy sector, was held as part of the OSCE’s efforts to advance the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2341 (2017) on the protection of critical infrastructure from terrorist attacks. It is the ninth national exercise organized by the OSCE to support participating States in enhancing their capacities to mitigate terrorist attacks emanating from cyberspace on their critical energy infrastructure.

The participants took part in the discussion-based simulation exercise called ”Black Kazakhstan”. The exercise provided them with an opportunity to test the effectiveness of their existing protection and crisis management systems, including co-ordination with external crisis management mechanisms, to mitigate the impact of a terrorist cyber-attack.

The exercise further sought to raise awareness of the terrorist threat against Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-enabled critical energy infrastructure, its vulnerabilities and to improve inter-agency co-ordination and collaboration in order to increase resilience.

Timur Shaimergenov, Vice-Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, emphasized the importance of protecting critical infrastructure and noted specific initiatives such as Kazakhstan’s Cyber Shield programme that have been created to address threats that may come from malicious cyber-attacks.

Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, said: “It is through international and inter-agency co-operation that risks can best be managed and crisis response options enhanced. This is critical in protecting all infrastructures from terrorist acts, including those emanating from cyberspace.”

“The disruption or destruction of critical energy infrastructure by terrorists could potentially have a devastating effect on the economy and society,” said Koen De Smedt of the Action against Terrorism Unit of the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department. “This exercise will help test and develop Kazakhstan’s national, sectoral and company-level capabilities to respond to a terrorist cyber-attack directed at industrial control systems.“ 

The training is based on the OSCE Good Practices Guide on Non-Nuclear Critical Energy Infrastructure Protection from Terrorist Attacks Focusing on Threats Emanating from Cyberspace.