¹

Arian KADRIU, PhD^

Abstract. The main priority of the Cyber Defense Strategy will be to treat cyberspace as an operational domain in order to be organized, trained and equipped with tools, so that the MoD / Armed Forces can act on the potential of cyberspace for the protection of interconnection and information systems. Its main purpose is to provide guidance, coherence and focus, for a comprehensive approach, to develop military capabilities in cyberspace over the next three years. Relevant Structural Communication and Information Systems (ISMS) structures of the MoD / Armed Forces work actively to provide secure infrastructure for these systems, through organization, allocation of appropriate resources, good overall conditions and effective measures. These structures integrate security and forces in the information infrastructure to protect the activity of the MoD and the Armed Forces as well as all users of these systems. The Cyber Security Strategy will be consistent with the requirements that are constantly placed in this area and will respect all the principles set out in conventions, international agreements, initiatives to be taken, with the aim of protecting and preventing interference or damage to the Systems, Liaison and Information (SNI).

The Internet and mobile devices have created and run a greater risk by being exposed to cybercrime. Today there is an underground market, invisible, easily accessible on the Internet, for buying and selling information and marketing of tools for cybercrime. Criminals are taking advantage of this opportunity more and more.

INTRODUCTION

In this age of globalization, after energy, cyber security has become one of the main strategic goals of every country. The digital revolution has affected every sphere of life in the modern world. More than ever, every country is trying to take advantage of cyberspace by advancing economic, scientific and social, but also political develop-ment. The development of digital infrastructure like the Internet has greatly changed our daily social and economic lives. Internet freedom and human values must be protected in the same way as outside the Internet. The digital infrastructure must be protected from potential incidents and malicious actions. Public institutions have a key role to play, initially by setting clear and transparent guidelines and policies to ensure not only the openness and involvement of every citizen, but also security in cyberspace. Cybercrime generally refers to a wide range of different criminal activities, where computers and information systems are engaged either as a primary tool or as a primary target. Cybercrime includes traditional criminal offenses (e.g., fraud, counterfeiting and identity theft), content-related offenses (e.g., child pornography distribution or incitement to racial hatred), as well as offenses that are unique for computers and information systems (e.g. attacks on information systems, denial of service and mauler).

A cyber attack is an attack on IT in cyberspace, aimed at one or more tech-nological systems, with the aim of violating IT security. The goals of security, confi-dentiality, integrity and availability of IT can be compromised, individually or in groups. Cyber attacks against the confidentiality of an IT system, which are carried out or managed by foreign intelligence services, are called cyber espionage. Cyber attacks on the integrity and availability of IT systems are called cyber sabotage.

A separate area of cybersecurity, and thus also its opposites to cyber crime, are the media and digital elements of hybrid warfare. The main tools of digital hybrid warfare are disinformation, media and cyber propaganda.

Disinformation – Misinformation (false, untrue, manipulated) news designed / created to mislead the public. Element of hybrid war are: troll farms, geopolitical strategy, deepfake, Fake News, Hate speech, Manipulated video, picture, mem, etc. And one of the most cheapest and popular – Fake social media posts.

CYBER CRIME,
THREAT TO THE SECURITY SYSTEMS OF THE WESTERN BALKANS

Cyber security and Russia’s penetration in the Balkans

Local researchers claim that the Western Balkan countries are still in the first steps in this field, while the risks are increasing².

One of these dangers, they claimed, is Russia’s penetration of social media, alongside radicalism and online terrorism.

The rapid development of online services in the Western Balkans, or e-govern-ment as it is called, is also bringing with it the risk of cyber attacks.

Cyber security is a new challenge for all, especially the countries of the Western Balkans, which, according to the security researcher, has fundamental shortcomings in national security issues such as disasters, terrorist attacks, human and economic security.

We are moving towards e-government, ie e-government, so this requires strengthening the capacity to protect ourselves from foreign actors, who are more and more capable, more accurate and more prepared. This requires above all a coo-peration with partners, because we do not have those capacities. NATO has many times more sophisticated capabilities and has been tested in many cases in many fields. Greater attention and awareness needs to be raised about the interests of Russia, a young actor in the Balkans that is penetrating non-traditional security areas such as cyber security.

The countries of the Western Balkans are in the first steps of studying this field according to the concepts of national security and cyber security institutions are in a period of reorganization.

The administration is responsible for protecting its citizens, consumers, firms, businesses and local and partner state institutions.

Everything that goes online and on the computer is endangered, therefore the appeal of this conference and researchers is that the Albanian government should take measures and immediately create concrete opportunities to protect citizens from these types of attacks and on the other hand strengthen cooperation with NATO in better and clearer forms for cyber security, which is one of the main pillars of our national security.

Like other countries, Kosovo is under cyber attacks, the hacking attack on Telecom in August 2022 was one of the larger cyber crimes, but one of many in recent times³. The destabilization of the cybernetic and communication infrastructure (television, radio, telephony network, Internet communicators) is aimed at weakening the state, but also at building the ground for disinformation and propaganda activities. As a definition of Propaganda – the desire to change the picture to which people react, to substitute one social model of behavior (pattern) instead of another⁴. This age-old definition applies in the 21^st century, influencing the society through cyber attacks, publishing fake posts, information, photos. Many Western European countries have not learned their lesson in being resilient to disinformation. One of the leaders in the development of immunity is Estonia, of course, bypassing the Russian national minority. By learning from their example, each country must start from the scratch to build public awareness of disinformation. By teaching, informing, practicing. And also the establishment of special agencies at the administrative and government level to combat and combat disinfection, hybrid war, hate speech, and troll farms.

Analysts claim that important actors like Russia penetrate this new field, and are highly trained in capacity, human resources, experience and technological skills.

Western Balkan countries also face the challenge of online terrorism, with terrorist actors trying to recruit individuals or inflict damage through the use of online and social media⁵. Media and terrorism seem to be a symbiotic creation, a correlation was noticed between the publication of photographs, videos, war materials and the increase in interest in this type of acts, and the increase in crime⁶. Examples include materials published until recently by Islamic terrorists, recordings of executions, re-cordings of kidnappings of school girls by Boko Haram, or the operating and service manual for the AK-47 rifle⁷. In response, YouTube introduced a very strict control of the content published on its platform.

A similar situation takes place in social media such as Tweeter, Facebook, Telegram or WhatsApp; the mechanism itself is very simple and cheap, it consists in grouping people who do not know each other in the real world, based on like-it pre-ferences, searches, shared content, posts. Recruiters choose people from dysfunctional, socially excluded environments, offering a radical ideology – which theoretically is to increase the value of its recipients, is the purest and simplest form of manipu-lation and populism.

Sebastian Wojciechowski describes terrorism developed by social media in three definitions: American definition – deliberate action using intimidation or violence as a tool; French – violation of social peace; Russian – intimidating the society⁸. Inti-midation by promoting hatred (hate speech, racial, gender and religious hatred) and of extreme right-wing views is part of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation.

From simple cybercrime situations have shifted to the need for cyber security in critical infrastructure, the researchers claim.

This is an area still not sufficiently studied by Albanians, and that they are still not fully aware of the importance and dangers that are coming from this area.

I think there is an awareness of these dangers, which here is in minimal stages. The countries of the Western Balkans have been isolated and will remain isolated and that other actors are not interested. But this is a global phenomenon and it is global actors who care about everyone else. There are some cases that show that there is an increase in the attention of actors like Russia to penetrate the Balkans in two ways: one, through the media, online media in particular, and second, through cyber attacks. Both of these are related to cyber security and I think that the Albanian state factors should strengthen the capacities in this direction. The techniques and tools used in the destabilization of the communication process and the flow of information in the Balkans are famous for a separate series of articles. Briefly about the open form of propaganda, i.e. broadcasting by focused organs of an open media / information message bearing on a selected non-object line (Tv channels, radio podcast, newspaper, websites). And hidden fake accounts, bots, which spreading misinformation, separa-tists recruitment by social media, sharing a fake, hatred information, using deepfake, fake video, manipulated material, troll farms) to show “trully point od viev”.

The countries of the Western Balkans have some cybercrime laws, but this is not enough, because reality is a daily challenge with terrorism and online radicalism, but state institutions are not yet prepared to face it.

Cyber warfare is a real battle, taking place in the private sector and in state institutions. In fact, the countries of the Western Balkans are in the first steps and need much help not only theoretically, but must take urgent practical measures to increase capacity and prevent possible attacks.

Experts claim that this is a multi-dimensional field and requires a multi-dimensional response.

A single unit near an institution is not enough, but according to them, a coor-dination from all actors in real time, increase of technological capacities and ability to face these new types of security challenges is required⁹. As mentioned before, it is obligatory to build coordinated actions both at the state and social levels in the fight against propaganda, disinformation as part of building state and social resilience. Disinformation affects everyone, even journalists, politicians or activists of international organizations. Therefore, it is very important, in the first place, to prevent cyber attacks (including deepfake, troll farms or hate speech, bots), in the system form – removing and blocking subordinate Internet and information activities. As well as the social – raising awareness of the possibilities and techniques of manipulation by which anyone can become a victim of hybrid warfare.

Cyber security and privacy continue to be a serious challenge
for Kosovo and other Western Balkan countries

Innovation and technology are evolving at a rapid pace, so cyber attacks have become a major threat to security and privacy in Kosovo and around the world, which requires joint commitment with institutions and academia¹⁰.

Of course, it is the biggest event and Kosovo deserves such a conference. Given Kosovo’s large participation in the field of IT, this is a need. This is a serious matter. With increasing digitalization we may have problems in financial terms and other things. If data is lost, 40 percent of it cannot be recovered. So it is not a desire, but it is a necessary measure to be taken seriously. There is a need in all areas in the Western Balkans, as well as Kosovo. The element that needs to be done is the partner-ship to prevent cybercrime in order to react.

Every citizen, every institution, to jointly deal with activities that we must create a safe environment for the data which have the dissemination of data, but also for children who are massively exposed during this period in social networks of who may denigrate their functioning.

This is the beginning we must continue and the objectives are to raise standards and then apply them. The citizens of Kosovo must be identifiable in cyberspace, the possibility that we will not be identified poses an extraordinary risk.

Cybercrime in the world caused $ 3 billion in damage, while as he said, this figure is projected to increase to $ 6 billion in 2021.

Cybercrime is affecting every part of life. At this stage no one is immune from cybercrime. There must be co-operation that at least the defense must be acceptable. Currently in the top 10 largest companies, four are from information technology. Kosovo youth are seeing the opportunity to enter the world market. The focus on information technology is the focus on the future. This conference will have a positive impact on civic education and awareness raising.

In recent years Facebook and Instagram have been busy dealing with these problems, they have been social problems of the public. We have actually dealt with these issues and this is the path we are continuing to walk and I am very happy for the privacy of users who use social networks from their homes. It’s a big discussion in the world when it comes to user rules, if we know the internet is so important and affects every part of life tonight, users should be able to follow Facebook rules. There will be solutions in the coming years and we are trying to protect the integrity of Kosovo, but these problems are very big and we are working to find solutions¹¹.

CONCLUSIONS

Global cyber security can only be achieved through state and internationally coordinated means. Kosovo will play an active role in international cooperation at European and global level, especially with the exchange of information, formulation of international strategies, development of voluntary schemes and legal norms, pro-secution of criminal cases, holding international exercises, as well as participation in trainings and cooperation projects.

The Government of the Republic of Kosovo will support EU policies by taking the necessary measures to protect critical information infrastructure, in cooperation with the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) in understan-ding the changing situation of ICT threats, as well as cooperation with EU member states.

Cyber foreign policy will be adapted in such a way that state interests and goals for cyber security are coordinated and developed in line with the policies of inter-national organizations, such as ENISA, OSCE, Council of Europe, OECD and NATO. Also, the Republic of Kosovo will offer its contribution to anti-botnet activities worldwide.

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