CCSIR at the core of regional dialogue on Critical Infrastructure Resilience

CCSIR was honored to contribute to the High-Level Cyber Resilience Regional Forum in Bucharest, organized by NCC-RO under the Digital for Development (D4D) framework. The CCSIR president, Andrei Avădănei joined a distinguished panel of regional and European experts addressing one of today's most urgent challenges:

Strengthening Critical Infrastructure Resilience and Supply Chain Trust in Hybrid Conflicts

Moderated by Gabriel Dinu (DNSC), the panel brought together leaders from government, critical infrastructure operators, and international resilience organizations to examine how cyber threats, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain dependencies are converging into a new category of systemic risk.

From Threat Awareness to Regional Priorities

The discussion focused on defining actionable priorities for strengthening resilience across the region. Three key directions emerged:

1. Regional resilience requires regional coordination

Cyber threats - whether wiper attacks, supply chain compromises, or hybrid sabotage - do not stop at borders. Effective defense depends on shared frameworks, interoperable systems, and coordinated response mechanisms.

2. Secure-by-Design must become non-negotiable

Across critical sectors and dual-use environments, security must be embedded from the outset. Trusted suppliers, proven technologies, and enforceable standards must evolve from strategic ambition into operational requirement.

3. Adapting to accelerated threat dynamics

AI-driven capabilities are compressing attack timelines and reshaping the threat landscape. What once took weeks can now happen in hours, challenging traditional assumptions about attacker cost and defender readiness.

As highlighted by Andrei Avădănei during the discussions:

"Resilience is a regional problem, not a national one. Wipers, supply chain compromise and hybrid sabotage don't stop at borders - and neither can our playbooks."

Building Resilience Where It Matters Most

The panel emphasized the need to ensure continuity of essential services under pressure, with focus areas including:

• Rapid response and coordinated incident management
• Redundant and secure connectivity solutions
• Protection models for critical sectors such as energy, healthcare, and government communications

These are no longer theoretical considerations - they are essential capabilities in a hybrid conflict environment.

CCSIR's Role

Through its participation, CCSIR reaffirmed its commitment to:

• Advancing cybersecurity research and applied resilience strategies
• Supporting regional cooperation and trust-based ecosystems
• Promoting secure-by-design technologies and policy-aligned solutions

Moving Forward

The forum delivered a clear and urgent message:

Resilience is built collectively - through trust, coordination, and decisive action.

CCSIR remains actively engaged in shaping this regional effort, contributing to a future where critical infrastructure is not only protected, but designed to withstand and adapt to the evolving threat landscape.