KyberVPK - Community Cyber Response Force is a voluntary organization established to help health care providers and providers of other critical services address and prevent cyber threats. Depending on the needs of the entity requesting assistance, KyberVPK can help prevent security problems, test the security of customer environments, work together to resolve security breaches, or help with the secure deployment of systems, for example. The help KyberVPK provides is completely free of charge.
”Cyber attacks have traditionally sought economic gain or even to directly damage society’s ability to function. During a pandemic, the targets may include e.g. healthcare and other critical services. At worst, a successful attack can lead to an inability to provide services. The aim of KyberVPK is to help companies that, say for financial reasons, do not have access to commercial help. All of us are volunteers and private individuals, and we do not represent our employers, only KyberVPK.”,
explains the summoner of KyberVPK, Taneli Kaivola.
Operating in the free time of these experts, KyberVPK is made up of thirty security professionals, ethical hackers. In their day-to-day work, the members work in Finland’s leading IT companies.
There are numerous denial-of-service attacks every day around the world, and the coronavirus has not reduced this number. To date, the largest cyber attack during the COVID-19 pandemic targeted the Czech University Hospital in Brno, which also houses one of the largest coronavirus research laboratories in the country.
”The idea of providing free help has been in the discussions for a small group for a long time and organizing around this has developed in our thoughts. As the pandemic progressed, we followed developments around the world and the international currents of information security. It took only one tweet to find out that the idea was supported by many other cyber professionals, and thus KyberVPK - Community Cyber Response Force was born. At the latest, watching the Brno attack, we decided it was time to take action and offer our help to others grappling with similar situations. It is entirely possible that a similar attack could befall for example a Finnish hospital. Cyber attacks can be prevented through long-term and professional work, and harnessing our skills for the benefit of society is the best way to give back.”,
Kaivola says.
KyberVPK accepts requests for assistance through its website (kybervpk.fi). Priority will be given to providers of healthcare and other services that are critical to society.
“We prioritize critical service providers over others, but we can also help other companies and organizations that don’t have the financial ability to seek commercial help if needed. We can also help municipalities with IT challenges, for instance by organizing teleworking and studying in schools.”,
notes Kaivola.
More information:
Taneli Kaivola, founder of KyberVPK, taneli.kaivola@kybervpk.fi
Laura Kankaala, laura.kankaala@kybervpk.fi
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Picture: You may use the image found at https://kybervpk.fi/images/tied01.jpg
© Anu Laitila