Global issues of cyber, and information and communication technology security are in the focus of a two-day workshop that started today in Yerevan with the support of the OSCE Office. The participants will discuss the impact of social networks on the process of political change, security and privacy issues in social networks, threats to critical infrastructure, privacy and security policies, as well as technological and legal aspects of forensics analysis, such as network forensics, email and internet tracing, wireless and handheld forensics. A special session on e-passports will take place, as Armenia will introduce biometric passports from 1 June 2012. “The importance of cyber security management continues to grow in the light of the development of information technologies and the states’ increasing dependence on them,” said Ambassador Andrey Sorokin, the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan. “Each country - and Armenia is not an exception- needs to determine relevant state behavior in cyberspace, invest in skills and education to build capacity of people working in information security area, and ensure co-operation among the public, private and academic sectors. With this event, we seek to contribute to Armenia’s efforts on this.” The event brought together representatives from the Armenian State Tax Administration, Armenian Police Department of Visa and Registration, the Vienna-based OSCE Secretariat’s Department of Addressing Transnational Threats, private institutions, civil society organizations and academia. Artashes Avoyan, the Chief of Staff of the Armenian National Security Council, emphasized the importance of expanding educational contacts with other universities: “Such discussions and exchange of experience will contribute to improving information security in Armenia’s state and private institutions, as well as, strengthening the fight against cyber crime”. Organized by the Armenia’s European Regional Educational Academy and the University at Albany of the State University of New York with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the event aims to expand co-operation between various national bodies and international actors dealing with cyber and ICT security and cyber crime. The OSCE Office in Yerevan plans to support a three-week course on information security for the Academy’s students and government officials in August 2012. For more information please contact Ms. Gohar Avagyan, National Public Information Officer, OSCE Office in Yerevan, at (+ 374 10) 22 96 10/ 11/12/13/14 ext. 5406, cell (+ 374 91) 436389.

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