This dissertation is dedicated to the development of methods and tools to enhance the level of cybersecurity for critical infrastructure objects.
Ensuring cybersecurity is a crucial task outlined in the Presidential Decree of Ukraine on the Decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated May 14, 2021, «On the Cybersecurity Strategy of Ukraine», the Law of Ukraine «On the Fundamental Principles of Ensuring Cybersecurity of Ukraine», and the Law of Ukraine «On Critical Infrastructure». Cybersecurity also plays a significant role in the Law of Ukraine «On National Security of Ukraine», underscoring the dependence of the safeguarding of state sovereignty, territorial integrity, democratic constitutional order, and other national interests of Ukraine on actual and potential cyber threats to critical infrastructure.
Especially during times of war and heightened risks in information and cybersecurity, developing new and enhancing existing methods and tools for cybersecurity becomes urgent to elevate the country's cybersecurity. The security of critical information infrastructure objects (hereinafter referred to as CIIOs), as an integral part of critical infrastructure, directly impacts the safety of the population and the successful execution of military tasks.
The existing methods and tools for ensuring the cybersecurity of critical information infrastructure (hereinafter referred to as CII), developed based on international standards and best practices, are quite effective in peacetime conditions. However, they do not account for the hybrid nature of warfare, which introduces new threats, including physical destruction, enemy takeover, lack of continuous monitoring and control, limitations in protective resources and available personnel, issues with equipment supply for recovery, disruptions in information exchange processes, the need for frequent changes in operational conditions, dynamic growth in the quantity and quality of cyberattacks, and more. As a result, their effectiveness diminishes significantly.
Considering this, there is a need to develop new and enhanced existing methods and tools for cyber defence with the goal of elevating the level of cybersecurity for critical infrastructure. The cybersecurity of critical information infrastructure (hereinafter referred to as CII), being an integral part of critical infrastructure, is crucial for the safety of the population and the successful execution of military objectives.
The relevance of this research is also driven by the sharp increase in the number of cyberattacks on the information and communication systems and technological networks of CII, government institutions, and the private sector during times of war. Vulnerabilities in the information and communication systems and technological networks of CII contribute to the success of such cyberattacks. Within the existing information security paradigm (ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability), information protection and cyber defence should encompass risk management, vulnerability management, and state cyber defence measures
