Organizational Shift Regarding Cybersecurity

Organizational Shift Regarding Cybersecurity

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The confirmation of a temporary enables the transfer of cybersecurity responsibility from the hands of the Israeli Security Agency (shin bet) to the National Cybersecurity Authority, regarding most organizations with vital computer systems .

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee affirmed the bill for second and third readings.

According to the Knesset announcement, the shift shoud be completed until 31.7.17. The temporary order’s validity will end on 31.12.18. At the same time, the Committee will continue to advance the “cyber law” which will regulate the various and extensive aspects of Israel’s cybersecurity.

The move is based on the Committee’s report on the subject, published on the Knesset website. Among the report recommendations:

The establishment of the National Cyber Authority created dilemmas concerning the divison of responsibilities. There is no sole organization capable of confronting the challenge on its own, a tight cooperation  between all organizations is needed, with each contributing its relative advantages.

The National Cybersecurity Authority will be able to weigh civil-political considerations as well as security aspects, and will enjoy accessibility to the civil sector and the security system with its international partners.

The Authority will be responsible for the direction of information gathering and management of attack events against Israeli targets.  It will also be responsible for directing the critical infrastructures, a function held until now by the Israeli Security Agency. The security organizations will continue to be responsible for their defense, and will lead the information gathering activity related to cybersecurity.

In any event, the Cyber Authority will not turn into an additional intelligence organization, but will rather receive information from the existing intelligence branches and base on open source intelligence gathered by its own staff.