BSCySeC-21 – Living in a post-pandemic world

The maritime domain is one of the main factors of progress in global development, any disturbance of this sector affecting the whole world.

Neglected in recent decades of technological development, cybersecurity has become a key concern for sustainable development. The global challenges of recent years have demonstrated the vital need for paradigm shifts in technological development, including cyber security as a key factor in projecting progress.

Conference historical overview

The BSCySEC conference series started in 2017 and continued with nodal events in 2018, 2019 and 2020, the speakers of the conference being among the most knowledgeable in the field of cyber security and its applications in the maritime industry. The institutional actors participating in the latest editions of the conference have definitely influenced the perception and measures on cyber security at the global level, the measures taken leading to the increase of responsibilities and efficiency of emerging and innovative technologies.

Current Edition
BSCySEC-2021		1-st Edition
BSCySEC-2017		2-nd Edition
BSCySEC-2018		3-rd Edition
BSCySEC-2019		4-th Edition
BSCySEC-2020
Black Sea Maritime Cyber Security Conference Editions – Constanta Maritime University – 2017-2020. Conference coordinators Gabriel Raicu, Remus Zagan.

5th Edition, Cyber Security Month, June 2021

  • Maritime Cyber Security Month will open on June 3 with an event preceding the first section “Cybercrime Pandemics”. The event will take place starting at 10 am and will include speeches from Constanta Maritime University delegates as well as international, national and local representatives and invited guests:
    • Cornel Panait, President of Senate – Constanta Maritime University
    • Bogdan Despescu, General Quaestor of Police, Secretary of State, Ministry of Internal Affairs
    • Gabriel Raicu, Vice-Rector of research and innovation – Constanta Maritime University
    •  Mihai Daraban, President – The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania
    • Gigi Valentin Stefan, General Prosecutor, Prosecutor’s Office of Constanta Court of Appeal
    • Gheorghe Viorel Teodor – President of Tribunal Constanta County
    • Grigore Iacobici Gill Julien, First Prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Tribunal
    • Robert Fleckhammer, Chief Prosecutor – Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism
    • Dragoş Chilea, President of International Crime Bar
    • Cosmin Dumitrache, President of Romanian Naval Authority
    • Cicu Laurentiu, Chief Commissioner, Romanian Coast Guard
    • Cătălin Filişan, Dean of Constanta Lawyer Bar

CONFERENCE CALENDAR

Section 1 – Cybercrime Pandemics – June 4, 5

In order for the world to be more secure, a consistent alignment of cybersecurity legislation and provisions is needed. Regional and international cooperation is important in terms of mutual exchange of knowledge and experience, as an additional guarantee of improved global cyber security.

Program-Section1-BSCySEC-2021Download

CHAIR: Vasile Draghici, UOC, UMC

Section scientific committee: Prof. PhD Vasile Draghici (RO), Prof. PhD Dragoș Chilea (RO), Prof. PhD Jaume Antich Soler, (ES), Prof. PhD Spiros Vlachopoulos (GR), Assoc. Prof. Ivan Toronchuk (UA)

Section 2 – European Cyber Security Education – June 17

Cyber security education has proven to be a defining factor in the success of a secure social life. Investing in security education is a major asset in which modern society must concentrate resources. It is about all levels of education and training, all public and private partnerships on education and all forms of short, medium and continuous learning. Education must ensure cyber security from the design of secure applications to the effective training of all possible users. Just a few years ago, more than 96% of IT decision-makers felt that their organizations were susceptible to external cyber attacks and 70% said they were not prepared to deal with them. Due to foreseeable evolution, during COVID-19 pandemics, ransomware has increased by a factor of seven compared to 2019. Also, education ranked as the sixth-most targeted industry. Considering that 30% of users in the education industry have fallen for phishing emails, it is worrying that 87% of educational establishments have experienced at least one successful cyber attack.

Beyond statistics, education is the only major factor that opposes a massive and long-term decline in cybersecurity risks.

Program-Section2-BSCySEC-2021-7Download

Thursday, June 17, 15:00-17:40

CHAIR: Horatius Garban, ESDC

  • Section 2 Main Topics:
    • Leading Progress in Cybersecurity Education – EEAS-ESDC
    • Current efforts in ports and supply chains risk assessment
    • IT&OT Risks in Maritime Cyber Security
    • Digital Democracies and the Need for Innovative Cybersecurity Education
    • Cybersecurity Education Market Leading Presence
    • Never Ending Stories in Cybersecurity Education Market
    • Private-Public approach in cybersecurity academic programs
    • Maritime cyber security education and current technological limit

Section 3 – (R)Evolutionary Trends in Cyber Security – 22 June

One of the most alert areas in terms of technological development is cyber security. In practice, any new technology or the maturation of an existing technology is intrinsically linked to cyber security as a whole.
Two major trends should be combined to increase cybersecurity, namely the careful design of new technologies and the introduction of reasonable security features in pre-existing ones. Moreover, there must be a cohesive approach to cohabitation of actors interested in cyber security, so that we have a more integrated and secure society. Whether we are talking about innovative clusters, consortia or corporations, cyber security should be seen as a common advantage, collaboration being in this area beyond the limited interests of members.

This time, common technologies like AI/ML/DL will need to play a greater role in security testing, as these aims tend to work with cyber teams to find real-time vulnerabilities, despite the bad actors effort to build algorithms to attack and learn simultaneously. All academic actors and companies will increase their focus on the security and support of remote workers due to intensified policies like BYOD which need to pivot away from traditional endpoint protection.

Program-Section3-BSCySEC-2021-6Download

Tuesday, June 22, 12:00 – 14:40 (EEST)

CHAIR: John McCarthy, Oxford Systems

  • Section 3 Main Topics
    • More than essential trends: Cyber Essentials as large supported scheme assisting businesses in protecting themselves / Advanced Staff Training as Best Cyber Security Attacks Mitigation
    • Digital Transformations
    • Maritime Cybersecurity Adaptive Environment
    • Post Pandemic Evolution in Healthcare as a Medicine for Cyber Security Environment
    • Beyond Cybersecurity Hive Mind
    • Innovation, Sustainability and Performance in Cybersecurity
    • Setting the Trends – Cyber Security Cluster of Excellence
    • Cyber Geostrategy

Section 4 – STRATEGIC FORESIGHT in CYBER INTELLIGENCE AND GEOPOLITICS – June 24, 25

The section focuses on the analysis of information (intelligence), cyber information and social sciences focused on international spaces (international relations, geopolitics, security studies, world political economy, etc.) and will include numerous debates.

Program-Section4-BSCySEC-2021-1Download

Thursday, June 24, 10:00 – 14:00 (EEST), Friday, June 25, 10:00 – 14:00 (EEST)

CHAIR: Horatiu Moga CMU, Adriean Parlog NDU

  • Section 4 Main Topics
    • Geopolitics of cyber warfare – quantitative and qualitative prediction models
    • Geopolitics of cyber warfare of global actors
      • Intelligence analysis of China’s relationship with the rest of the world
      • China-US economic dispute
      • Geopolitical analysis of the China-Russia-NATO-EU-US relationship
      • Geopolitical analysis of Russia-NATO-EU-US cyber warfare
    • Geopolitics and geoeconomics of cyber warfare of non-state actors
      • Business / competitive intelligence analysis
      • Geoeconomic and sociological analysis of non-state actors
      • Geopolitical analysis of cyber warfare state actors
    • Geopolitics of cyber warfare, economic espionage and terrorism
      • Intelligence analysis of economic espionage
      • Intelligence analysis of the relationship between terrorism and cyberspace
      • Geopolitical analysis of cyber espionage