Development and implementation of National Cyber Incident Severity Scales (NCISS) and related measures to protect critical infrastructures

Summary

This project focuses on Confidence Building Measures (CBM), specifically on crisis communication procedures, crisis management and the classification of information communication technology (ICT) incidents in terms of the scale and seriousness of the incident among Central Asian, European, and North American states. Additionally, it aims at raising the implementation rate of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) cyber/ICT CBMs incidents through providing support in developing national cyber incident severity scales (NCISS).

Details

Aim

The project aims to raise the implementation rate of the OSCE cyber/ICT CBMs, as well as enhance capacities of OSCE participating States to deal with significant cyber/ICT incidents in an effective way through providing support in developing national cyber incident severity scales. The OSCE wants to create a practical guidance for NCISS development and implementation and increase awareness among participating states about the features and benefits of NCISS with particular emphasis on critical infrastructure protection.

Context

In 2021, the OSCE initiated an extra-budgetary project focused on CBM 3 and CBM 15, specifically on cyber/ICT crisis communication procedures, crisis management and the classification of ICT incidents in terms of the scale and seriousness of the incident. Current efforts by the OSCE Secretariat aim at raising the implementation rate of all CBMs. Given that the overall success of the cyber/ICT CBM process is heavily dependent on an increased average implementation rate, focus on successful and effective implementation is key.

Activities

• Conducting and analysing surveys on the current conditions of using NCISS
• Good practice exchange workshops
• Consultations with international stakeholders on good practices to identify effective means to prepare and design country NCISS trainings
• Evaluating OSCE NCISS capacity building efforts and developing a NCISS development and implementation handbook