Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) in Albania

Summary

Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience (CIDR) is a five-year regional program managed by DAI for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Bureau for Europe and Eurasia.

CIDR’s country teams work with partner governments and local stakeholders to: 1) accelerate cybersecurity workforce development, 2) empower organizations to identify and address cybersecurity threats, 3) strengthen cybersecurity governance, and 4) facilitate the sharing of cyber threat information

Details

Aim

USAID, through CIDR, aims to help its partner countries improve their cybersecurity posture so critical infrastructure entities are more resilient and can continue to provide citizens with essential services. CIDR partner countries are Albania, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.

Context

Countries in Eastern Europe are facing more diverse and complex cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure. In response, the CIDR program is assisting partner governments and institutions to protect infrastructure such as energy, telecom, finance, and e-services from these malicious attacks.

Albania Focus

The CIDR program in Albania works with government institutions and other key partners to: 1) better respond and address threats to critical infrastructure, 2) build cybersecurity capacity among IT and critical infrastructure staff, 3) support national- and municipal-level entities in cybersecurity development, and 4) establish and support a permanent national multi-stakeholder cooperation platform dedicated to cybersecurity protection.

The CIDR/Albania activity is scheduled to run from April 2023 to September 2025.

Activities

• Fortifying e-government platforms. CIDR supports the Government of Albania to improve cybersecurity capabilities and practices, contributing toward better protection of government e-services and applications and maintaining the confidentiality, availability, and performance of applications critical to the work of government and services for citizens.
• Piloting municipal-level implementation. CIDR is assisting the municipality of Korca in developing a “Cyber Secure Cities” model consistent with established privacy and data protection commitments by reviewing existing cybersecurity policies and procedures and jointly implementing activities to build resilience.
• Building cybersecurity capacity among professionals. CIDR is assisting AKSK to foster the development of a skilled cyber workforce with tools such as a cyber drill platform and expertise in areas such as threat detection, incident response, and secure system development.