CAMPAIGN FOR 5G - STOP THE CONSPIRACY

 Filenews 5 November 2020

There needs to be a campaign for 5G to annihilate the arguments of conspiracy theorists, said the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiades, adding that some "instead of monitoring the evolution of technology and enjoying the fruits of modern media are being fed with ideas, with conspiracies, thus reacting many times in a criminal and illegal way".

President Anastasiades, who received today, at the Presidential Palace, the annual report of the Commissioner for Communications Regulation, Giorgos Michaelides, as well as his report on the Digital Security Authority on cyber security, welcomed the work of the Office of the Commissioner whose areas of competence are "crucial for the modernisation of internet speeds", noting that we are already in the process of bidding for 5G.

He also welcomed cyta's approach to accelerating its programming "so that we have the best capabilities", while for the cybersecurity sector it said that "it is today one of the most important defence weapons in a hybrid war, in what is recorded and observed".

He added that "for 5G there needs to be a campaign by providers and by you to annihilate the arguments of conspiracy theorists."

"It is well known that the opposition and the ideas of some who, unfortunately, instead of monitoring the evolution of technology and enjoying the fruits of modern media are being seded with ideas, with conspiracies, so that they often react in a criminal and illegal way," he said.

Delivering the reports, in digital form, Mr. Michaelides said, among other things, that tools were developed for higher internet speeds.

He also referred to CYTA's upgraded work, as well as to the upgrading of the security framework of the Republic of Cyprus' cyber security infrastructure.

He added that security measures for 5G had been issued, and referred to actions to make Cyprus a regional CyberSecurity Certification Centre.

In a statement afterwards, Mr Michaelides said that "we have made the security framework for 5G, i.e. what measures providers need to take to ensure the security of the information moving within this new infrastructure".

He explained that 5G is not the next generation of 4G but an infrastructure that will change our way of life as we talk about smart cities, new services, jobs that are not on our lists.

He pointed out that the economy and the safety of citizens would depend on 5G so it must be ensured that information is handled in the most secure way. "That's our responsibility in relation to 5G," he noted.

Asked to say how close we are to the full operation of 5G in Cyprus, Mr Michaelides pointed out that there is the process to give the frequencies and it is in the plans of the various providers about when this will be done.

Asked about the issue of the health safety of the world in relation to 5G, Mr Michaelides said that there are studies also adopted by the EU. He said the European Commission is presenting studies that do not show there is any issue.

Asked if cyberattacks had increased during the coronavirus period, Mr Michaelides said in terms of critical infrastructure there had been no particular increase but as far as citizens were concerned, the numbers were much 90, such as using phishing emails, to extract information.

Asked if Cyprus is being attacked by Turkish hackers, the Commissioner said what he wants to assure is that any attacks are carried out by anyone who is being treated and an attempt is being made to ascertain what groups are doing these attacks, not only from Turkey but also from other countries.

He explained that it could be someone in one country and make the attack look like it's from another country. Attacks are being carried out by many countries and not just by Turkey, he added.

Asked to say which agency is most attacked, he said critical infrastructure is always a target for all hackers.

Asked about the increased use of technology due to teleworking, amid the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Michaelides said that at the level of communications it should be ensured that the network and infrastructure will bear the extra burden due to teleworking.

In infrastructure there is no problem since we had gone two and three times over the usual use and the networks endured, he said.

On the issue of safety, he said, they also tried to help by giving instructions on how to work on critical infrastructure and what security measures they should take so that there is a risk.

He said the general public should also be careful, because now "it is the time when hackers are living a dream", because now everyone is online and trying to unite with services. That's why there are more challenges for the operator in dealing with any attacks or ways by hackers to extract information, he noted.