Enhancing Security of European SMEs in Response to Cybersecurity Threats

The European Union (EU) is gearing itself today more than ever against cybersecurity risks. There is in fact a pressing need to strengthen digital defences throughout the continent in order to face the resurgence of cybercrime. The SECUR-EU project is an innovative endeavour to establish a shared cybersecurity awareness culture among Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The project’s main objective is to accelerate the creation of strong cybersecurity solutions that can successfully counter new threats. The SECUR-EU project uses a variety of strategies. It entails the creation, modelling, and focused solutions of cybersecurity problems that small and medium-sized enterprises face. The testing tools are essential to this endeavour. These tools have the potential to significantly improve the security posture of crucial infrastructures and organisations. SECUR-EU uses a number of cutting-edge tactics, including proactive network interface scanning, attack, and defence. By identifying possible vulnerabilities and strengthening defences against them, this approach to cybersecurity strengthens the existing digital defence systems. SMEs will also actively participate in this security solution rather than just being recipients of it. The goal of the SECUR-EU project is to create a network that connects organisations, vital infrastructures, and security experts. Modern security solutions supplied by the will be implemented and progressively developed to support this cooperative network. SECUR-EU will establish collaborations between SMEs and LEAs in order to maximise effectiveness and efficiency in these efforts. These collaborations will serve as the project’s main pillar for developing and improving its cybersecurity services over time. SECUR-EU is a progressive project that comes in the context of EU’s efforts for a more resilient cybersecurity, the NIS2 directive being the latest action in the sense. By means of a thorough strategy that includes proactive defence tactics, cooperative networks, and SME participation, SECUR-EU aims to strengthen the region’s digital security architecture against a resurgence of cybercrime all around the world.

SECUR-EU adopts a methodology that is proactive in the face of cyberciminality. In this sense, it will both work on solutions pertinent attack and defence scenarios. The first will cover openly available tools for scanning and pentesting. These tools will be studied and enhanced by the consortium. The latter being SIEM/IPS/IDS systems that the project will develop in the context of critical infrastructures. In this sense, SECUR-EU will put in place adversary simulation sessions for the training of security experts. The project will also use AI in order to enhance pentesting tools and Intrusion detection systems. This will be carried out with special consideration given to data sharing between stakeholders and via a user-friendly dashboard.

On a basis of subcontracting, Privanova is set to support SECURE-EU’s coordinator in all legal and ethical aspects, with emphasis given to cooperation with Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), in accordance with Privanova’s expertise in the field. Privanova will participate in mapping ethical issues of the project, collecting existing EU regulations and tracking evolving regulations, development of ethics compliance documentation, in particular those related to actions of LEA stakeholders. Privanova will also support the work of the Ethics Committee and the Ethics Manager. Privanova will also be accorded the mission of supporting data management pertinent to Law Enforcement stakeholders.