The training aimed to strengthen cybersecurity standards within institutions and enhance the professional capacities of employees by equipping them with the skills required to carry out cybersecurity audits, in line with legal requirements and international standards.

This activity is part of a series of trainings that will continue throughout the year, with a focus on supporting critical and important infrastructures in meeting legal requirements related to cybersecurity.

In implementation of Law No. 25/2024 “On Cybersecurity” and the relevant methodology, the Council of Ministers has approved the updated list of operators of critical and important information infrastructure, comprising a total of 215 operators at the national level:
🔹 133 classified as critical infrastructure,
🔹 82 classified as important information infrastructure.

The identification process was conducted by the National Cybersecurity Authority (AKSK) through a structured and comprehensive methodology that included: identifying high-criticality sectors and subsectors, consulting with relevant regulatory authorities, distributing self-assessment questionnaires, and analyzing the data in accordance with general and sector-specific criteria.

The updated list covers a range of sectors, including energy, financial infrastructure, transportation, drinking water supply, digital service providers, education, tourism, media, and more.

All these operators are now part of a stable structure that is continuously monitored by AKSK, which provides:
✅ Access to technical assistance and methodological support for building security policies;
✅ Capacity-building training programs;
✅ Legal obligations for implementing security measures, incident reporting, and more.

The inclusion of these operators represents both a strategic responsibility to protect the state’s and society’s key functions in an increasingly interconnected digital environment, and a legal obligation in line with the applicable regulatory framework.

During the meetings held today, representatives of the operators were introduced to the new legal framework and to the role of AKSK as the supervisory authority. The discussions focused on obligations arising from inclusion in the list, including the implementation of security measures, the establishment of internal structures for cybersecurity risk management, and the procedures for incident reporting.

Present at these meetings, the General Director of AKSK, Mr. Igli Tafa, praised the inclusion of new operators as a crucial step towards expanding national cybersecurity protection. He emphasized that the knowledge and experience accumulated by the Authority over the years will be shared to support the newly included operators. According to him, close cooperation with each involved entity is essential for building a safe and sustainable digital environment. He described the new operators as “cybersecurity ambassadors,” underlining their emerging role in protecting critical functions that support institutional life and the public interest.

AKSK will continue to offer technical support and dedicated training for the involved entities, with the aim of effectively implementing legal requirements and strengthening internal capacities to face ongoing cybersecurity challenges.

This event was attended by the General Director of the National Cyber Security Authority (AKSK), Mr. Igli Tafa, representatives from UNDP offices from the countries of the Western Balkans, Moldova, Georgia, Mrs. Monica Merino representative of UNDP Albania, Mr. Sokol Haxhiu director of Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) Albania as well as representatives from the National Information Society Agency (AKSHI).

The possibility of designing a regional program for responding to cyber security challenges was discussed which aims to share knowledge and experience in addressing these needs, including identifying key sectors to engage and support.

This ransomware uses advanced techniques to access the networks of educational organizations, exploiting weaknesses in their security systems. Although there have been no reports of data theft so far, experts warn of the potential danger this ransomware poses to the education sector.

Arctic Wolf Labs recommends that educational institutions increase their cyber security measures, especially regarding the use of VPNs.

During the panel “Building a protective shield for critical infrastructures in the Western Balkans through cooperation”, Mr. Saimir Kapllani, Director of Compliance, Risk and Control Analysis at NAECCS, shed light on the challenges that our region faces in the field of cyber security . He emphasized the vital importance of expanding cooperation on data sharing on cyber threats, increasing the capacities of regional experts through joint training initiatives, and the necessity of strengthening public and private partnerships in the research and academic sectors. Mr. Kapllani also underlined the need for strategic investments in advanced technologies that will help in efficient monitoring and management of cyber incidents.

This meeting was a platform to build stronger regional relations and define future courses of action for a safer Western Balkans in cyberspace. NAECCS continues to be committed to taking concrete steps towards closer regional and international cooperation, sharing responsibilities and joining forces to face cyber security challenges.