Romanian cybersecurity team joining Geiger project protecting small businesses against cyber threats

Romanian National Computer Security Incident Response Team CERT-RO is joining the Geiger project - an initiative that aims to protect small businesses against cyber threats - as a partner, the team reported in a press statement released on Wednesday.

"To support companies seeking protection, Geiger aims to build an ecosystem of competent people and organisations who provide help. Geiger also works with schools and partners to develop a standardised learning programme called 'Cybersecurity Experts.' The project will launch the pilot programme in Switzerland, with the BBB Vocational School and the SKV SMEs association, with the SRA Association of Accountants of the Netherlands and Romania's Cluj IT start-up and innovation hub. After completing training, cyber security experts will operate as 'ambassadors' who will pass on their knowledge to the small businesses they work with," the release reads.

Among the tasks assigned to CERT-RO under the Geiger project are devising requirements, architecture and methodology for the solutions developed under the initiative, from the perspective of a national response team, as well as validating conceptualised solutions.

The team will also get involved in supporting the implementation of the pilot project among Romanian start-ups and in disseminating the project, especially among the response teams community elsewhere in Europe.

The Geiger project is being carried out by the FHNW University of Applied Sciences of North-West Switzerland with 17 partners from all over Europe: Utrecht University, Berufsfachschule BBB, Padagogische Hochschule Freiburg, Kaspersky, Montimage, KPMG, ATOS, Tech.eu, Schweizer SKweV, Samenwerkende Registeraccountants en Accountants-Administratieconsulenten SRA, Cluj IT, CERT-RO, Coiffure Loredana, Haako, E-abo, Braintronix, and Public Tender.

On June 1, 2020, a consortium of 18 organisations launched "Geiger", an innovation project that aims to develop a solution that increases the level of knowledge of small businesses and entrepreneurs about the risks related to data protection, privacy and cyber security. The project provides help to reduce such risks.

This 30-month project is funded under the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programmes under a grant agreement.